Crunchy Carnival Salad

Preheat oven to 180°C.

First cook the sweet potatoes. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into 2cm chunks. Spread over the baking tray. Sprinkle over the oil, chilli flakes and a little seasoning. Roast for 25–30 minutes, turning halfway.

Meanwhile, make the rice and beans. Pick and roughly chop the coriander leaves and set aside. Tie the coriander stems and thyme together with string to make a bouquet garni. Peel the garlic. Drain the kidney beans.

Put the saucepan over a medium heat. Add the coconut milk, water, allspice, salt, pepper, garlic and bouquet garni and bring to a simmer. Wash the rice under cold water until it runs clear and tip into the saucepan. Stir, reduce the heat to a very gentle simmer, put the lid on and cook until all the liquid has been absorbed, about 13–16 minutes. Take the pan off the heat. Remove the garlic and bouquet garni. Fold in the kidney beans. Put the lid back on for five minutes.

Prep the rest of the fresh ingredients. Shred the cabbage. Cut the spring onions in half and shred them lengthways. Peel the carrots and then peel them into ribbons. Trim the pepper and slice into thin strips. Slice the mango lengthways down either side of the stone, spoon out the flesh and slice thinly. Halve and carefully stone the avocados by tapping the stone firmly with the heel of a knife so that it lodges in the stone, then twist and remove. Scoop out the flesh, then slice thinly. Rip the stem from the chilli, cut it in half, scrape out the seeds and slice thinly.

Put the egg-free mayonnaise, hot sauce and maple syrup into a large bowl. Halve one of the limes, squeeze in the juice and stir to mix. Add the cabbage, spring onions, carrots, pepper, chilli, coriander leaves and sweetcorn. Toss to coat in the dressing.

Serve the rice into large bowls. Spoon over the roasted sweet potatoes. Pile over the salad and top with the avocado and mango slices. Squeeze more lime over the avocado. Quarter the remaining lime and place a wedge on each bowl. Serve immediately.