RECIPE: Thai Mango Salad

While a trip to Thailand awakens all your senses, none are more alive than your taste buds. Starting with its aromatic scent filling the air, Thai food is known to have dishes that offer at least 3-5 sensations for your palate – whether it be sweet, salty, sour, bitter, or spicy. A Thai Mango Salad pleases almost all these taste sensations.

Featuring a harmonious medley of fresh ingredients, a Thai Mango Salad makes a great accompaniment to various Thai dishes, as well as a tasty substitute to any regular salad. While it can be eaten year round, this flavourful will be a popular pick at any summer barbecue, as it pairs really well with grilled meats and seafood.

While there are so many ingredients that make a perfect Thai Mango Salad, you can, of course, add your own or make some substitutions. For instance, if you prefer your salad to be a bit more on the sweet side, opt for a riper mango (but not overripe). If you prefer it more tangy, choose raw, green mangos. Either way, this tropical fruit will marinate in some of the very best flavours to come from Thai cuisine.

Servings: 6

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup chopped cashews or peanuts
• 2 mangos (green or just ripe)
• 1/3 cup fresh chopped coriander
• 1/3 cup chopped mint
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 4 tsp granulated sugar (or to taste, especially if using ripe mangos)
• 4 tsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp sesame or vegetable oil
• 1 small red chilli, seeds removed (to taste)
• 1 sweet red pepper, thinly sliced or julienned
• 1 cup thinly sliced red onions

Directions:

1. In a skillet or toaster oven, toast nuts over medium heat until fragrant and golden (about 8 minutes), and then set aside.
2. Peel and julienne the mangos. (Tip: use a potato peeler rather than a knife to peel the mango, as there’s less waste of the fruit’s flesh)
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the coriander, mint, red chilli, lime juice, sugar, fish sauce, and oil. Add mangoes, red pepper, and onion, lightly  tossing it in the mixture to coat all ingredients.
4. When ready to serve, sprinkle with nuts.*

* If you’re concerned about nut allergies, don’t sprinkle the nuts over the salad when ready to serve, but rather, have them in a separate serving bowl, where individuals can opt to sprinkle it on themselves.

With the exception of adding the nuts, you can make this salad ahead of time. Just cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.