30 Meals in 30 Days: Mango Curry Salad on English Muffin

I made this meal on Saturday - took the day away from the internet Sunday - and was sick Monday. So here you are, a few days later! I found the english muffin portion of this recipe from My Fair Baking & the salad portion of this recipe from June's edition of Chatelaine Magazine. Again, I just love my Chatelaine - this post isn't sponsored. Wish it were.

So let's start with the simplest recipe ever.

The author of the original recipe lives in Hawaii - and based on the way Ontario's weather has been in the last few days, I don't need to tell you that our climates are more than slightly different. This affects the way that the final product rises (the warmer the climate, the simpler to rise). 

In fact, these muffins barely rose at all. But I'm not sure if I want them to.

Here's what it's supposed to look like.

This is the photo from the original recipe by My Fair Baking

Here's how to make it. 

Mix 1.5 tsp of yeast and 1 cup of just-boiled water in a bowl. Let sit for 10 minutes.

In saucepan, combine 1 cup milk, 3 tbsp butter and 3 tbsp honey. Heat until butter melts.

In another bowl, combine 5 cups all purpose flour, milk mixture, and yeast mixture. 

Knead dough, and once elastic, let sit for 5 minutes.

Roll out dough and cut in circles. I used a mason jar lid to make my circles.

Sprinkle cookie sheet with cornmeal, and place circles on cookie sheet. Sprinkle the tops with cornmeal. Cover with cloth and...

• If you're in Hawaii or a hot climate (like the original recipe author), let them sit for 45 minutes. They will rise.
• If you're in a cooler / dryer climate, turn the oven to 350 'till it heats. Then turn it off. Put the muffins in the oven with a cup of water for 45 minutes.

So now is the trickier part: The original recipe says to cook the muffins for 8 minutes on each side, on an ungreased heavy-based stovetop pan on low. 

For me, this didn't do much because the insides were way undercooked. I then put them in the oven at 350 for 10 minutes and it helped bake the middles.

Then put them on a cookie skillet until nicely browned.

What's really interesting about english muffins is that they tell you where they want to be cut. As you can see in the photo above, there are lines in the centre of the muffins - I didn't put those there! Very cool.

Here's what they really look like.

A lot less bouncy than the original recipe's photo - much thinner!

Here's how we're rating it.

Taste value: 8/10. I'd go for something a little more cooked-through next time.

Simplicity value: 6/10. It's not easier than buying from the store, but it's cheaper with no preservatives, and I'm sure once you get the hang of it they can be made in no time. I see waiting 45 minutes as a major problem, because you need to start in advance. I guess that's what this learning process is all about.

Appearance value: 10/10. They look super amazing.

Entertainment value: 10/10. I'd serve them to all guests. Unless I ate them myself.

Coolness value: 10/10. I never thought of making English Muffins by myself, and now I don't think I'll ever go back. You can literally eat them... on anything. My next goal will be to learn how to reduce the all purpose flour and increase other types of reduced-gluten or non-gluten flour.

Now obviously english muffins are delicious on their own, with butter, peanut butter, nutella, honey, eggs, toasted, untoasted.. they're amazing. But for dinner on Saturday, we topped them with a mango & curry salad.

If you're not a vegetarian, this recipe is intended to have cooked chicken shredded into the salad. We went without and it was still delicious and filling.

Here's what it's supposed to look like.

Here is the photo from June 2013 Chatelaine Magazine

The tricky photographers at Chatelaine didn't make the whole recipe when they took that picture... it's just a bunch of fresh veggies, no creamy sauce!

Here's how to make it.

Mix 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1 tsp lemon zest, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 1/2 tsp curry powder. 

Chop 2 mangos to bite size pieces. Add with the creamy sauce. Add 1/4 cup dried cranberries, 2 sliced green onions, 1 chopped celery stalk.

Enjoy.

Here's what it really looks like.

 Obviously the pictures aren't very appetizing haha - it's one of those creamy messy salads that tastes... oh so good.

Here's how we're rating it.
Taste value: 7.5/10. Pairing mango with curry is classic, but mango with curry with cranberries? Mmm. My only complaint: there is a big kick to it, which brings it down a point in our taste value charts.
Simplicity value: 9/10. It takes about 10 minutes to prepare without chicken.
Appearance value: 2/10. It's a sloppy mess!
Entertainment value: 3/10. I'd serve it to friends who came over for dinner often, but not to people I was just getting to know.
Coolness value: 9/10. It's a pretty unique salad in my books!