Impress your guests with this innovative Thai green mango salad
The Thai green mango salad, or yum mamuang, is a refreshing dish from Thailand, beloved worldwide for its unique flavor blend. It combines the sourness of green mango with sweet, spicy, and savory elements, showcasing how simple ingredients can create a vibrant dish. Deeply rooted in Thai culture, it's a favorite during the hot summer months. Let's get cooking!
Gather the following ingredients
For this vegetarian Thai green mango salad, gather one large green mango, one carrot (both peeled, and julienned), half a cup of chopped cilantro, three tablespoons of crushed roasted peanuts, and two tablespoons fried shallots. For dressing: two tablespoons soy sauce, one tablespoon lime juice, one tablespoon maple syrup or sugar (adjust to taste), one teaspoon chili flakes (adjust to taste), and salt as needed.
Prepare the dressing
Begin by making the dressing. In a small bowl, combine two tablespoons of soy sauce, one tablespoon each of lime juice and maple syrup or sugar to taste. Add one teaspoon or more of chili flakes for spice. Whisk well until combined. Adjust the taste with salt if needed. This dressing will give your salad a tangy and slightly sweet flavor.
Combine salad ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, combine the julienned green mango and carrot with half a cup of freshly chopped cilantro. The key to this step is ensuring that both the mangoes and carrots are thinly sliced. This allows them to better absorb the rich flavors from the dressing. Gently toss these ingredients until they are thoroughly mixed and evenly coated.
Dressing meets salad
Pour the previously made dressing over the salad ingredients in the bowl. Use tongs or clean hands for tossing, ensuring each piece is evenly coated with the tangy-sweet dressing. This step is vital for flavor absorption, aiming for a harmonious blend that makes every bite of green mango and carrot, along with cilantro leaves, truly memorable. The goal is a perfectly seasoned dish.
Garnish before serving
Before serving, add three tablespoons of crushed roasted peanuts for extra crunch and two tablespoons of fried shallots for an irresistible aroma and texture contrast. These garnishes boost the salad's flavor and visual appeal, ensuring each bite is memorable. The peanuts and shallots are key for a perfect balance of crunchy and aromatic elements, making the Thai green mango salad uniquely delicious.
