Chicken/turkey curry grape salad

Preparation time: 50 minutes
Makes 4-6 main-course servings or 8 starter/side-dish/appetizer servings
Best when made 1 days ahead (but don't add the toasted almonds until just before serving)

INGREDIENTS

Ingredients for the salad:
500 grams (1+ lb ; 2 cups) chicken or turkey filet, cleaned (tendons, membranes, and fat removed)
125 grams (6 or 7 ; 4-5 oz , 3/4 cups) water chestnuts (F: chataignes d'eau, D: Wasserkastanien), drained
500 grams (1+ lbs) seedless green grapes, washed
125 grams (1 cup) finely diced celery stalks
As always, use a paring knife or vegetable peeler to remove the stringy fibers on the outside of the ribs of the stalks before dicing
90 grams (1 cup) thinly sliced almonds
400 grams (2 cups) drained pineapple chunks
Weight is after draining and squeezing excess juice out of the chunks

Ingredients for the dressing:
120 grams (1/2 cup ; small jar) plain mayonnaise
1 tablespoon curry powder ("hot" curry powder if you like)
1 tablespoon Japanese soy sauce
I use "light" soy sauce: "regular" Kikkoman-style soy sauce is loaded with salt!
1 tablespoon lemon juice

EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES

PREPARATION / DIRECTIONS

Cut the turkey or chicken into pieces of at least 1 cm (≈1/2 inch) in size - if you make them smaller, the meat will become too dry when fried.
Heat some oil in the frying pan and fry the meat chunks until browned on all side; let cool.
If the pan is too small (some meat chunks do not touch the bottom of the pan) or not hot enough, you will boil the meat instead of frying it!
Pad the water chestnuts dry and slice them up
Put the fried meat chunks, water chestnuts, grapes, pineapple, and celery in a large bowl and toss
In the small bowl, make the dressing: mix the mayo, curry powder, soy sauce, and the lemon juice
Pour the dressing onto the meat & fruit and mix
Make sure all the meat & fruit is coated with the dressing.
Slowly dry-toast the almonds in the frying pan until golden
Do not add butter or oil!
Stir and/or toss regularly
Just before serving, sprinkle the toasted almonds on top of the salad and toss

NOTES

Perfect for a summer party or picnic. Make sure to refrigerate a couple of hours prior to serving
The curry-mayo dressing is also great for dipping raw veggies (incl. hearts of palm, cherry tomatoes)