Crunchy Carnival Salad with Rice & Beans

This spicy and sweet salad brings together flavours from the Notting Hill Carnival and goes well with griddled tofu roasted in BBQ sauce 

SERVES 6

¼ red cabbage

8 spring onions

2 carrots

1 red pepper

2 mangoes

1 avocado

1 large fresh red chilli

50g egg-free mayonnaise 

1 tsp-1 tbsp Encona West Indian Hot Pepper Sauce, to taste

1 tsp maple syrup

2 limes

200g sweetcorn

salt and black pepper

FOR THE SWEET POTATOES

2 large sweet potatoes (about 675g)

1 tbsp olive oil

½ tbsp chilli flakes

salt and black pepper

FOR THE RICE & BEANS

30g fresh coriander

5 sprigs fresh thyme

2 garlic cloves

1 x 400g tin kidney beans

1 x 400ml tin full-fat coconut milk

100ml water

¼ tsp ground allspice

1 tsp salt

¼ tsp black pepper

200g long-grain rice

Preheat oven to 180C/gas 4. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into 2cm chunks. Spread over a baking tray. Sprinkle over the oil, chilli flakes and a little seasoning. Roast for 25-30 minutes, turning halfway.

Meanwhile, make the rice and beans. Pick and chop the coriander leaves. Tie the coriander stems and thyme together with string to make a bouquet garni. Peel the garlic. Drain the kidney beans.

Put a medium saucepan over a medium heat. Add the coconut milk, water, allspice, salt, pepper, garlic and bouquet garni and bring to a simmer. Wash the rice under a cold tap until water runs clear and tip into the pan. Stir, reduce the heat to a very gentle simmer, put the lid on and cook for 13-16 minutes until all the liquid has been absorbed. Take the pan off the heat. Remove the garlic and bouquet garni. Fold in the kidney beans and put the lid back on for 5 minutes.

Prep the rest of the fresh ingredients. Shred the cabbage. Cut the spring onions in half and shred them lengthways. Peel the carrots and then peel them into ribbons. Trim the pepper and slice into thin strips. Slice the mangoes lengthways down either side of the stone, spoon out the flesh and slice thinly. Halve and stone the avocado. Scoop out the flesh then slice thinly. Rip the stem from the chilli, cut it in half, scrape out the seeds and slice thinly.

Put the egg-free mayonnaise, hot sauce and maple syrup into a large bowl. Halve one of the limes, squeeze in the juice and stir to mix. Add the cabbage, spring onions, carrots, pepper, chilli, coriander leaves and sweetcorn. Toss to coat in the dressing and season.

Serve the rice in large bowls. Spoon over the roasted sweet potatoes. Pile over the salad and top with the avocado and mango slices. Squeeze more lime over the avocado, quarter the remaining lime and place a wedge on each bowl. Serve immediately.