Spinach and Fried Rice Salad

Ingredients

• 1.250 millilitre brown rice, par-boiled, cooled, then fried until golden
• 2.300 gram spinach leaves, washed; coarse central vein removed; finely shredded
• 3.1 cucumber, English (seedless); julienned
• 4.2 stalk celery, very finely sliced
• 5.rocket, a good handful
• 6.3 eggs, hard-boiled; chopped
• 7.185 millilitre vinegar, for dressing
• 8.60 millilitre sugar, for dressing
• 9.60 millilitre mayonnaise, for dressing
• 10.125 millilitre salad oil, for dressing

Method

1. 1.Parboil the rice. Drain and cool. Toss cooled rice in hot oil and fry until golden brown. Drain in a colander and set aside.
2. 2.Wash and dry the spinach leaves. Cut out the coarse central vein. Roll up a few leaves at a time and shred finely.
3. 3.Julienne the cucumber. Slice the celery very finely. Toss together the spinach, cucumber and celery. Toss through the rocket. Chop the hardboiled eggs and mix through the salad.
4. 4.Make a dressing of the vinegar, sugar, mayonnaise and oil. Toss as much as is needed through the salad.
5. 5.Top the salad with the fried rice.

Notes

• The fried rice topping gives a warm, crunchy contrast to the cold salad — add just before serving.
• A distinctive method: parboil the rice first, then fry in hot oil to get a crisp, golden texture.