Curried Turkey Salad with Greek Yogurt

Place the small stainless steel dry skillet over medium-low heat. Add 1.5 tablespoons mild curry powder, stirring constantly with the dusty blue silicone spatula for 30 to 60 seconds, until the spice is deeply fragrant and deepens from pale yellow to warm golden brown. Watch closely to avoid burning, as scorched curry will impart a bitter flavor to the salad. Immediately remove the skillet from heat and transfer the toasted curry to the medium stainless steel mixing bowl to cool for 2 minutes before mixing the dressing.

To the cooled toasted curry powder in the medium mixing bowl, add 120g whole-milk Greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Stir with the silicone spatula until completely smooth, with no clumps of curry or streaks of unblended yogurt remaining. The finished dressing should be a uniform soft golden color.

Position the large acacia wood cutting board in the center of the work area. Use the 7-inch santoku knife to cut cooked turkey breast into uniform 1/2-inch cubes, trimming any tough or stringy pieces as you go. Dice celery stalks into 1/4-inch pieces, and dice the unpeeled red apple into 1/4-inch cubes, tossing the apple with a tiny pinch of lemon juice from the dressing to prevent browning. Keep all prepped items in their clear glass prep bowls until ready to combine.

Add the cubed turkey, diced celery, diced apple, and golden raisins to the mixing bowl with the curried yogurt dressing. Use the silicone spatula to fold gently, scraping the bottom of the bowl and turning the mixture over to coat every piece evenly in dressing. Do not stir aggressively or mash the ingredients, as this will break down the turkey and apple and result in a mushy texture; distinct chunks should remain visible, fully coated in golden dressing.

Loosely cover the mixing bowl with a sheet of clear plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator for 10 minutes. This short rest allows the warm curry notes to infuse the yogurt, the raisins to plump slightly, and the salad to chill to a crisp, refreshing serving temperature. Do not chill for longer than 30 minutes at this stage, as the apple will begin to soften and lose its crisp bite.

Remove the chilled salad from the refrigerator and peel off the plastic wrap. Add 3/4 of the measured sliced toasted almonds to the bowl, folding only 2 to 3 times to distribute them evenly through the salad. Reserve the remaining 1/4 of almonds for top garnish to preserve their crisp, crunchy texture, as almonds will turn soggy if left in the dressing for extended periods.

Use the silicone spatula to scoop the curried turkey salad into a loose, gentle mound centered on the matte cream ceramic dinner plate. Sprinkle the reserved sliced almonds over the top of the salad, followed by the 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh curly parsley. Add one light twist of freshly ground black pepper if desired, and serve immediately, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.