No-fuss Broccoli Salad

I called Malaysia my home, a country that is known for being a foodie’s paradise. There is absolutely no question, lip-smacking food is available practically in every corner.

The following is a pretty common occurrence because at some point or another, it will happen to me. Most recently, it was last Sunday when I had a later than usual lunch.

Hunger and craving sets in
I am starving, I can eat a horse. Feel like having something spicy with tonnes of gravy. Banana leaf rice, it is!

Sight and smell takes over, suddenly everything is appetising
Look at that mutton curry, chicken curry, fried fish and assortment of vegetables; stop calling my name!

Spoilt by the abundance of choice, proceed to over-ordering
It certainly won’t hurt if I order a wee bit of what I like. I am really hungry!

Midway through eating, guilt creeps in due to over-indulging
Ok, I am quite full now. Still a little left to finish, I shouldn’t waste food.

Hit the bed once home, blame the food for being coma-inducing
Why am I so sleepy suddenly? Must be the portion of rice that I had. Time for some afternoon siesta!

Before long, it was time for dinner. I had a heavy lunch, but I don’t intend to skip dinner completely.

So then, what to have for dinner? The answer, broccoli salad!

Extremely straightforward ingredients

Broccoli, trimmed and cut into florets
Tomato, deseeded and cubed
Cashew nuts
Hard-boiled egg, crumbled

Quick mix, no-frills dressing

Mixed fruit jam
Dijon mustard
Mayonnaise
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Steps

Toss nuts frequently and toast until golden brown in a dry pan. Set aside to cool before giving them a rough chop.

Place broccoli in a microwave-safe bowl and add 2 tablespoons of water. Cover with lid and microwave for 1 to 2 minutes. Carefully remove lid to stop steaming.

Add tomato and chopped nuts to steamed broccoli.

Drizzle dressing and toss everything gently until evenly coated. Taste and season with salt and pepper again, if needed.

Sprinkle egg before serving.

Salad is always my go-to food, whenever I unintentionally ate too much.

This recipe requires minimal effort to prepare and it tastes delicious too - broccoli is crisp tender with slight sweetness from the jam, the inclusion of cashew nuts gives the salad an added crunch and the crumbly egg makes the salad oh, so creamy.

Give it a try and I hope you will like it as much as I do.