Curry noodle salad (Kerrie noedelslaai)
This traditional curry noodle salad is a carnival of flavours and textures; tangy, sweet and spicy with tender pasta balanced by crunchy vegetables. No wonder it's such a constant crowd-pleaser and has stood the test of time across all these decades. It's made in four easy steps; cook the pasta, chop the veg, mix the dressing and combine. Voila! Possibly it's best feature is that it can, and should, be made in advance. It's at its best the following day and even better still the day after that. Perfect for picnics, lunch boxes and the all important barbeque.
Print Recipe
Save
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 453kcal
Ingredients
- 500 gram uncooked, dry pasta - fusilli, conchiglioni (pasta shells) etc
- 1 red bell pepper - chopped into small cubes
- 1 red onion - roughly 180g, finely chopped
- 200 millilitre tomato sauce
- 100 millilitre white vinegar - like white wine vinegar
- 100 millilitre oil - like olive, sunflower or vegetable oil
- 180 millilitre granulated sugar - or 160g
- 5 teaspoons mild curry powder - 25ml
- 3 tablespoons fruit chutney - 45ml, like Mrs Ball's Peach Chutney
- Tabasco - to taste
- few grinds black pepper - to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in salt water according to the package directions. Don't overcook it as it will continue absorbing the curry sauce it will be dressed with.500 gram uncooked, dry pasta
- Once cooked, drain it well using a colander. After draining, transfer the pasta to a large bowl.
- Finely chop the red bell pepper and the onion.1 red bell pepper, 1 red onion
- Mix together the tomato sauce, vinegar, olive oil, sugar, curry powder, chutney, tabasco sauce and black pepper in a bowl.200 millilitre tomato sauce, 100 millilitre white vinegar, 100 millilitre oil, 180 millilitre granulated sugar, 5 teaspoons mild curry powder, 3 tablespoons fruit chutney, Tabasco, few grinds black pepper
- Add the chopped vegetables to the pasta. Mix well.
- Add the sauce and stir it through. When incorporating the sauce into the pasta, avoid adding it all at once at first. Different kinds of pasta absorb water differently during cooking, expanding less, so you might need slightly less sauce for some types. Add some sauce, stir it in and decide whether to add more or stop.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and store it in the fridge overnight. Give it a stir once or twice to distribute the dressing.
- Transfer the curry noodle salad to a serving dish and finish off with a scattering of chopped parsley, basil or coriander if you prefer.
Notes
- Avoid overcooking the pasta, as it will sit in the dressing for hours, continuing to absorb liquid. Cook it al dente and drain it thoroughly.
- When incorporating the sauce into the pasta, avoid adding it all at once. Different kinds of pasta absorb water differently during cooking, expanding less, so you might need slightly less sauce for some types. Add some sauce, stir it in and decide whether to add more or stop. Most of the time, you'll likely use all the sauce.
**Nutritional data disclaimer**
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is calculated by a third party and we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We try our best to give you the most accurate information, but we do not take responsibility for errors that may be present. Also, the nutritional value of the recipe may change depending on the exact brands and products used. We recommend that you consult with a qualified healthcare professional or registered dietitian for personalised advice on your dietary needs.
Nutrition
Calories: 453kcal | Carbohydrates: 75g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.05g | Sodium: 131mg | Potassium: 294mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 591IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 2mg