Mango Salad (Spicy Tangy Goodness!)

It’s been hot lately- real hot. I’m looking to everything from clothing to swamp coolers to even what I eat to help mitigate the heat. And let me tell ya- it’s actually been a ton of fun!

This recipe is super simple to make, with some surprising ingredients. Don’t let its weirdness fool you. This is such a tasty summer treat, and an interesting way to eat the sweet fruits the season has to offer. Plus, it only takes four ingredients!

First, start with some nice juicy mangoes. I love getting Honey Mangoes, sometimes called ataulfo mangoes, because they have this deliciously creamy texture without the annoying fibers you can get from the regular mangoes. These are also really sweet. Sure, they’re small, but so are their pits, so there’s still a lot of “meat” to be had (isn’t that a weird way to describe fruit innards?). I like to use about two honey mangoes per serving, but luckily, I can get ’em on sale at my local grocery store for about 50 cents a piece, so it’s a steal.

Then, the real flavor-bringers: lime and sumac. Lime makes sense, right? Any agua fresca, chamoy, or fruity salsa connoisseur can tell you that lime and mango is a real winner. Now, sumac is our first strange ingredient- if you don’t already have this in your pantry, you totes should. Sumac tends to be more of a Middle Eastern ingredient, which grows there as a berry. Once powdered, this red spice has a perfect citrus-y lemon flavor that really kicks up any dish. I love to use it when I don’t have fresh lemon in savory dishes. I’ve never had it in a sweet one, but maybe I’ll try it out one day! You can find sumac at your local Asian market (which, if you’ve never been, you’ve GOT to go. If you didn’t grow up going to Asian grocery stores, make it a field trip for yourself and have a blast trying some new foods! Hey, it could even be a solo-date idea!), usually in a little bag. My favorite spice brand is Sadaf, as seen below.

Now, we get to the weirdest ingredient here: red onion. Now hold on there! Don’t click away just yet! I swear I’m not crazy.

Red onion, in this snack, tastes nothing like an onion. It’s like if you took a red onion and dressed it up in a mango suit and drenched it in lime and spice and- look, just trust me on this one.

Optional ingredients are green or red chilies, or a spice to kick up the heat. My favorite is cayenne, but you can also add tajin (Mexican), ajika (Georgian), or berbere (Ethiopian) versions of a spicey-paprika-salty-cumin flavor. Personally, these take over the flavors too much for me, so that’s why I stick with good ole’ cayenne. You could also do red pepper flakes, but as a texture person, I don’t dig that myself.

How to make? Just mix ’em all together! That’s it, it’s easier than pie. Enjoy outside and let the spicey-tangy-sweet flavors distract you from the sweat and humidity of the outdoors. Or have it inside in the AC, with a swamp cooler blowing directly at your face. Your call. Hope you enjoy!