Saffron Basmati Rice Salad with Curried Apricot Dressing

Makes 6 servings

This recipe comes from San Francisco’s Millennium Restaurant – four-star cuisine at its vegan finest! Flexibility is key in this recipe. If you’re pressed for time, you can simply enjoy the Saffron Basmati Pilaf (what a treat!), or make the rice salad with plain cooked rice – basmati or brown. The spices in the curried apricot dressing add a complementing zing to the saffron, but if you don’t have time to make the dressing, the salad is still very special without. And, you can personalize the salad by adding your favorite root vegetables – carrots, sweet potatoes, turnips, and rutabagas are among our favorites.

2 cups Saffron Basmati Pilaf or cooked basmati or brown rice

2 cups cubed winter squash or root vegetables, blanched and cooled

1 apple, peeled, cored, and sliced in ½-inch cubes

2 scallions, sliced thin

¼ cup pine nuts, toasted

Curried Apricot Dressing

1 beet, peeled and grated or cut into thin julienne, for garnish

2 Tbsp. Finely shredded mint leaves, for garnish

In a large bowl, toss the pilaf, squash, apple, scallions, and pine nuts with the dressing.

Arrange on a serving platter. Garnish with a mound of grated beet and sprinkle with the mint

Curried Apricot Dressing

¼ cup apricot preserves

½ cup rice vinegar or champagne vinegar

1 Tbsp. mild curry powder, toasted

¼ tsp. ground cardamom

¼ tsp. cayenne pepper

1/3-cup water

¼ cup canola oil

Sea salt to taste

In a blender or food processor, combine all the ingredients together and blend until emulsified. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Serve or refrigerate for up to 1 week.

Variation: For an oil-free version, substitute ¼ cup silken tofu for the oil.