Ensalada de mango con chile – salad with mango, cucumber and chili Recipe
Ensalada de mango con chile is a refreshing salad made with juicy mango, crunchy cucumber and spicy chili, drizzled with lime juice. In Mexico, similar combinations are sold in cups on the street as a snack on hot days. The taste is sweet, tangy and lightly spicy at the same time – something between a dessert and a light salad.
This mango, cucumber and chili salad is reminiscent of Mexican street fruit cups sold in town squares on hot afternoons. It combines juicy mango sweetness, crunchy vegetables and chili heat, while lime juice gives it a character somewhere between dessert and spicy snack. Every bite is fresh, lightly spicy and very refreshing at the same time.
Chef's tips
Choose mangoes that are ripe but still firm – if they’re too soft, they’ll fall apart when you mix the salad and it will turn into a puree. Add the chili in stages, tasting each time, because the heat level of peppers can vary a lot from one to another. If you’re making the salad ahead of time, pour the lime dressing over just before serving so the cucumber stays crunchy.
How to serve
Serve it well chilled as a light snack on the balcony on a hot day or as a fresh side to grilled shrimp or chicken. It’s great with coconut water, homemade lime aguas frescas or a light, dry sparkling wine. At my summer get-togethers it often sits on the table next to a bowl of nachos – it disappears faster than classic chips.
Ingredients
- mango ripe but firm - 2 pieces
- fresh cucumber large, greenhouse - 1 piece
- carrot medium - 1 piece
- fresh chili pepper e.g. jalapeño or another mild one - 1 piece
- lime juice - 40 ml
- salt - 0.25 teaspoons
- sugar optional, if the mango is not very sweet - 0.5 teaspoons
- chili powder preferably mild - 0.5 teaspoons
- fresh coriander optional - 0.25 bunch
Preparation
- Peel the mango, remove the flesh from the pit and cut into long strips or larger cubes so the pieces are easy to eat with a fork.
- Wash the cucumber and, if the skin is tough, peel it partially or completely. Cut it in half lengthwise, remove the seeds with a teaspoon and cut the flesh into pieces similar in size to the mango.
- Peel the carrot and cut into thin sticks or grate on a coarse grater.
- Cut the chili pepper in half lengthwise, remove the seeds (if you want a milder version) and chop finely. Roughly chop the coriander.
- In a small bowl mix the lime juice, salt, sugar and chili powder until the sugar and salt dissolve.
- Put the mango, cucumber, carrot, chopped fresh chili and most of the coriander into a large bowl. Pour over the lime dressing and gently toss so you don’t crush the mango pieces.
- Taste and, if needed, add a little more salt, chili or lime juice. Before serving, sprinkle with the remaining coriander.
- You can serve the salad right away or chill it in the fridge for 15–20 minutes to make it even more refreshing.
Storage
Store leftovers in a closed container in the fridge and eat within a day; over time the cucumber will release water and the texture will soften.
