mango salad/salsa/relish

i was thinking of having all of my posts this week be oriented around a baking theme, since i actually have been baking a lot and it seems like the whole country is kind of baking in this horrible heat wave (over 100 degrees all across the east coast? those are texas-style temperatures!).

but then i came to my senses and decided that that would be kind of mean. not everyone can live in portland, plus i am sure our time will come for unbearable heat. why not make a simple, sweet, spicy mango salad instead?

this is the perfect beat-the-heat dish because it has 6 ingredients, takes 5 minutes to make and doesn't require you to even look at your stove. it has sort of southeast asian flavors, but uses ingredients that are very easy to find practically anywhere.

all you need is a mango, some mint, cilantro, 1/2 a lime, a couple of scallions, and 1/3 or so of a fresh jalapeño. i didn't even use any salt or pepper. cut up the mango like i showed you earlier, put it in a bowl. slice up the scallions and jalapeño. you can certainly use more of anything that you like - i wanted it to be spicy but not too spicy. i cut the jalapeño very thinly so that it wouldn't be too overwhelming in each bite.

chop the herbs - i like to pile the mint leaves on top of each other and then roll them into a kind of tube with the stem part in the middle and then slice it - this helps you have a nice ribbony shape and makes it easier to slice. the cilantro i just kind of ball up and cut. basil would also be good in here, cut the same way as the mint. but i don't have any basil. i also think a little fish sauce would not be out of place, if you have any. but again, i do not. i am so unprepared. how embarrassing.

then squeeze 1/2 a lime over the whole thing and stir. that's it! you should taste it now. you might want to add a little pinch of sugar. lime juice is sour, yo! don't overdo it though. this is supposed to be sweet and savory. this is best eaten right away, although it is still pretty tasty after an evening in the fridge.

i can imagine this being a good accompaniment to grilled fish or chicken or tofu. if you want to use it as a salsa, you should probably cut the mango into smaller bits. you could also add a little tofu or cooked rice to make it more substantial. or maybe have it with other asian-y salads, like a salad smorgasbord! or you could stand in front of the open fridge and scoop it out of the bowl with your fingers. i won't judge you. we all go a little crazy when it's hot out.