curry tuna salad with grapes

Tuna salad is just good stuff, anyway you make it. Except for the mushy kind at the grocery store salad bar, sitting there with that ominous looking dried, crusty layer on top. My mom used to make tuna salad for me all the time since it was cheap, fast, and really good. Weekends only though, because she put a lethal dose of chopped onion in hers, which would have made me the least popular kid in school, if I'd brought that in my lunchbox.

This is tuna salad for grown-ups since it's flavored with many spices- curry, cumin, and turmeric. Originally I had wanted to add golden raisins, but opted instead for plump and juicy red grapes. The pineapple chutney gives the salad a final oomph of flavor. I used store-bought chutney, but since creating this recipe, I've made it again with my own homemade chutney. The recipe is below.


Curry Tuna Salad with Grapes
yields about 2 cups

As a shortcut, I used store-bought pineapple chutney in this recipe to add another layer of sweet and tartness. Mango and pear chutneys would also work well as a substitute.

2 6-oz. cans tuna (packed in water), drained
1/3-1/2 cup mayonnaise (depending on how creamy you prefer it)
half red onion, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 Tbsp pineapple chutney
2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp sugar
20 red seedless grapes, sliced in half
salt, to taste

1. In a bowl, flake the tuna fish with a fork. Add the remaining ingredients, except for the grapes, and mix well. Be sure not to overmix. Stir in the grapes at the very end, and season with salt and pepper to taste.


Basic Pineapple Chutney
yields 3/4 cup

1/2 cup pineapple chunks, diced up
1 Tbsp leftover pineapple juice
2 Tbsp diced onion
1/2 tsp fresh minced ginger
pinch red chili flakes
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/8 cup + 2 Tbsp brown sugar

In a small saucepan, add all ingredients and mix well. Simmer over medium-low heat for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pineapple and onion have cooked down. The chutney should be a deep golden brown, with a sticky consistency. Let cool.