Our go-to advice for summertime is always: when it’s too hot to cook, don’t. The last place you want to be when its a billion degrees outside is hovering in the kitchen — especially when there are so many smart ways of putting together dishes that aren’t complicated, but are definitely delicious. If the hot, humid weather has you in the mood for light, refreshing, cold dishes, look no further — this mango and cucumber slaw is the way to go.
We’re always looking for ways to devour even more of peak-season mangoes, and spinning them into savoury salads is the way to bring them to your dinner table. This quick salad uses two different types of mangoes — raw and ripe. Using two varieties of the same fruit is an easy way to make your dish more interesting and beautiful to look at. And we’ll take any excuse to consume more tart green raw mangoes, as well as sweet juicy ripe mangoes!
This mango and cucumber slaw is the easiest thing to make — no seriously, all you really need to do is toss some fruit with salt + lime juice in one big bowl and you’re almost there. You can chop the fruit however you like — I chopped them in spears to make it more interesting visually, but chop it in chunks if you like. The only key to salads as simple as this one is to use the best quality ingredients and let them shine through.
This recipe is great to make-ahead a couple of hours before you need to serve it. Let it just chill in the fridge so that the mangoes and cucumbers get softened and juicy, and all the flavours meld together really well. And a few extras take it to the next level. I love adding crunchy roasted peanuts on top because I feel it adds a wonderful texture and goes really well with the tropical flavours of this dish.
Inspired by flavours of the Caribbean, this recipe is based on a typical island “chow” that consists of chopped tropical fruit, flavoured with garlic, herbs, and some heat, and balanced with tart lime juice. It’s a popular sweet + savoury snack that you can make with any seasonal fruit, such as pineapples or kiwi.
Chilled mango and cucumber slaw tastes delicious as a side to any main dish. You can also serve it on top of fluffy quinoa for a more filling option. It goes wonderfully with grilled fish, seafood, or anything else that you might cook in a summer BBQ. Ideal for lazy summertime lunches by the poolside or dinners on the terrace with some chilled beer.
- 1 ripe mango, peeled and chopped
- 1 raw mango, peeled and chopped
- 2 large cucumbers, halved lengthwise and then sliced on a diagonal
- 1 large shallot, sliced into thin rings
- 2-3 cloves of garlic, grated
- ¼ cup lime juice or 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- Salt, to taste
- ¼ teaspoon red chilli flakes (or 1 red chilli, seeds removed and finely chopped)
- ½ cup chopped coriander
- ¼ cup roasted peanuts, lightly crushed using a mortar and pestle
- Black pepper, to taste
- In a medium sized bowl, toss together the mangoes, cucumber, sliced onions, garlic, lime juice, salt, and chilli flakes. Cover and let it chill for about 30 minutes, so that the flavours meld together.
- Toss the slaw with chopped coriander. Serve with cracks of black pepper and roasted peanuts on top.
