Curried eliche salad

---

Small pasta shapes with spring onions and radishes, cheese, curry and mustard mayonnaise.

Ingredients

For the salad:

• 250 g eliche or other small pasta shapes
• 8 spring onions, chopped
• 12 radishes, sliced

For the mayonnaise:

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 tablespoon Madras curry powder
• 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves or other herbs
• 60 g strong Cheddar, grated
• 375 ml mayonnaise
• 30 ml milk

Method

1. Boil the pasta in a large saucepan of salted water until it is al dente.
2. Drain immediately and rinse under cold water. Drain thoroughly.
3. When cool, place in a bowl and mix with the spring onions and radishes.
4. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a small frying pan and cook the Madras curry powder for 10-20 seconds.
5. Allow to cool and mix with the remaining mayonnaise ingredients.
6. Add to the pasta and mix thoroughly.

Variations

Use any type of curry powder or spice mix that you like, eg. garam masala, tandoori mix or make your own.

Use onions or shallots instead of spring onions.

Replace the mustard seeds with powdered mustard, or other piquant seeds, such as nigella or fenugreek. Try adding chilli flakes.

Substitute chopped mooli for the radishes.

I used Collier's Powerful Welsh Cheddar because of its strength; however, a strong Swiss-style cheese would work equally well.