Rice/Pasta salad suggestions

[KC2]

... Blackened potatoes ... well that's what I called them ... they were small jackets cooked on the BBQ ... blackened is the new word for charred now I think

[KC2]

I don't know what they used do to the rice salad at Food for All on Neal Street but best I've ever had. Last time I went in they didn't have it so it may be lost and gone forever

Sue, do you mean Food for Thought? I used to go there lots back in the day ... I remember I used to love their (brown) rice salad but it's so long ago I can't remember what might have been in it

[StokeySue]

I mean Food for Thought. Food for A is a local hippy food shop, I always get the names muddled. Apart from good quality round grain brown rice probably dressed while quite warm I'm not sure either

[uschi]

I am late to the parties, but the Turkish/Kurdish ladies here make Kisir a lot. It's less refined than Ottolenghi's version, but very tasty, too.

You can fry chicken pieces dusted with some parika or avail yourself of a rotisserie chicken and use some of that.

Finely chopped spring onions or fried onions are optionaly, but not essential.
If I fry the chicken myself, then I lay the pieces aside for deconstruction and use the same pan with the drippings to make the bulgur (fine bulgur is best).
Then an equal amount of concentrated tomato puree and aci biber (a hot Turkish sauce like Ajvar (and yes, you can use hot Ajvar instead) with some lemon juice are combined. Add to the warm bulgur with a good glug of olive oil.
Then add chopped tomatoes and cucumber, plus finely shredded iceberg lettuce.
Cut the meat into fine cubes and chop flat parsley (not as much as for tabbouleh, but a good amount).
Season with pepper and serve still warm or cold.
It's a great salad to take to a picnic as there's no mayonaise in it that can go off.

[StokeySue]

Thanks Uschi
I did wonder if aci biber might be the wow factor KC2 is missing
Like paprika it seems to come in all levels from mild to v warm
I brought back from Hungary something called Paprika Crem, paprika paste used to boost goulash. Can't get it here and I'm thinking a spoonful of mild aci biber might be the best sub.

[KC2]

Great, I will seek out aci biber / ajvar- thx
I'll check out the shop I get my tahini etc https://bit.ly/2wN0dAd next time we go to the market.
(Edited for a better link!)

[uschi]

Sue, Paprika Krem, aci biber and ajvar are variations of a theme, each slightly different, but they make good substitutes for each other.
I use any of them to add depth to my goulash, but also pumpkin soup and bolognaise type pasta sauces.