Bold and full of swagger, this bowl wakes with the scent of garlic blooming in butter. Chicken turns sticky in red curry paste, chilli-garlic butter glosses the surface, and a cool mango-cucumber salad resets the palate before the next bite.

Make the salad first so the flavours settle while you cook the chicken. Toss the meat in a little cornflour for crisp edges, sear until golden, then finish with fish sauce for depth. Right at the end, pour over the chilli butter so it clings. Heap everything into bowls and scatter seeds for a nutty snap. It is weeknight fast, braai friendly, and sunshine in a spoon.

Ingredients

Mango salad
• 1 ripe mango, diced
• 2 small cucumbers, chopped
• 1 small serrano or jalapeño, seeded and sliced
• 125 ml fresh coriander, chopped
• 45 ml fresh mint or basil, torn
• 2 spring onions, chopped
• 45 ml mixed sesame and sunflower seeds
• 30 ml extra virgin olive oil
• 30 ml apple cider vinegar
• 30 ml lime juice
• 1 avocado, cubed

Chicken and rice
• 680 g boneless skinless chicken, thinly sliced
• 15 ml cornflour or arrowroot
• 30 ml olive oil
• 60 ml Thai red curry paste
• 15 ml fish sauce or soy sauce
• 85 g salted butter
• 3 to 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• Pinch chilli flakes
• 700 g cooked rice

Steps

Combine all salad ingredients except seeds. Season with salt, toss, then scatter seeds on top.

Coat chicken with cornflour. Heat oil, fry curry paste 1 to 2 minutes, add chicken, cook until caramelised 7 to 8 minutes. Stir in fish or soy sauce.

In a small pan, melt butter with garlic and chilli until nutty and the garlic turns crisp.

Fill bowls with rice, add chicken, spoon over chilli butter, and top with mango salad.