Mike's Corner of the Web

Mike's Thai Mango Salad

Okay, let's be upfront about it: I found this recipe on the Web. I give my own spin on it, but if you Google, you will find a similar recipe, i am sure.

Ingredients:

2 limes
15 mL (1 tbsp) fish sauce
15 mL (1 tbsp) sugar (something exotic if you have it)
1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced or 2 mL (1/2 tsp) hot red chili flakes
30 mL (2 tbsp) oil
Salt to taste
2 ripe but firm mangos
2 sweet peppers, preferably 1 red and 1 yellow
2 green onions
125 mL (1/2 cup) chopped fresh coriander
2 cups (mixed) lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
80 mL (1/3 cup) toasted nuts, coarsely chopped (I have used peanuts, cashews, and pecans)
2 Tbsp hot sauce
2 Tbsp lime juice

Dressing

Finely grate peel from 1 lime and place in a measuring cup along with 60 mL ( 1/4 cup) lime juice. Whisk in soy sauce, sugar and jalapeno pepper until sugar is dissolved. Gradually whisk in oil until blended. Add salt to taste. Set aside. Overnight works great, really lets the jalapeno oils into the dressing.

Depending on my audience, I sometimes choose to use only half the jalapeno. Better too mild than too hot, if you don't know your audience, or if you have to think about a variety of preferences.

Peanut oil is authentic, but problematic for people with allergies. Olive oil works great as a mild substitute. I have also used sesame seed oil.

Salad

Peel mangoes, then cut away chunks of fruit from pit. Cut into thin strips and place in a bowl. Seed peppers and cut into thin strips and add to mango. Thinly slice onions and add to bowl along with coriander and lettuce. Toss gently until combined.

Place lettuce and mango mixture in a large bowl. Toss with dressing until mixed, Serve on a platter or in a large salad bowl.

Nuts

Mix 2 Tbsp hot sauce with the 2 Tbsp lime juice (Frank's currently sells a Lime-Chili hot sauce that should do well to replace these two). Combine with the chopped nuts so that they are well coated. Place coated nuts on a baking sheet in a single layer in a preheated 180 C (350 F) oven. Toast 7 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until fragrant. It may be a bit longer, but watch them closely, it's easy to burn them!

If you are intending to serve this to people you know have no nut alergies, you might sprinkle the toasted nuts on the salad. I usually leave them as an option, in a bowl on the side. First, it allows people with nut allergies to enjoy the salad. Second, my use of hot sauce on the nuts adds a little spice to the whole thing, and this allows individual preference for heat. Third, the nuts get soggy really quickly, so this preserves their crunch as much as possible.