Mango Salsa - Video
Play it here. video runs 1 minute, 53 seconds.
I first made Mango Salsa with Coconut Crusted Fish almost a decade ago, and I keep coming back. There is just something about scooping up sweet-tangy salsa on a tortilla chip and chowing down. Light sweetness sure goes with heavy-flavored pork Carnitas, or spicy Chicken Tinga, tacos, and burritos.
Guests go crazy for my Mango Salsa. Every time I bring a bowl it becomes the standout dish and the first one to disappear, at a party. It's also an aphrodisiac for date night with your amour.
Mangos used to be as expensive as avocados, and I'm lucky to live in Los Angeles where I can now get them two for a dollar at my local Latin market, Superior Grocers. I know they are expensive in other communities but do try this recipe sometime when they show up on sale at your local grocery store.
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Try out this recipe with fruit that shows up at your local farmers market or roadside produce stalls. Could you make a Strawberry, Blueberry, Pineapple, Peach, or even Kiwi Salsa? You can only find canned fruit cocktails, peaches, and pineapple slices to work with? Sure, go for it!
A mango is ripe when it's slightly soft to the touch. When very ripe they do get messy to work with. Under my Directions below I show you how I peel one.
The other Mango Salsa ingredients are cheap enough. I use purple onion, but you can use cheap white or yellow onion. Cilantro and fresh jalapeno peppers are showing up in most neighborhood groceries these days.
Typical salsas use lime juice but I like to mix it up with lemon juice sometimes (plus I have a lemon tree by the laundry room here, so they are freeeeee!)
I used fresh jalapeño, but you can use it from a jar as well. The jalapeños may have a vinegar taste, but that's okay, just drain them first.
I also remove the jalapeño seeds, but you can leave them in for a fiery Mango Salsa.
Of course, cheap 99c only Store Tortilla Chips are what I serve with Kiwi Salsa, but if you have a Latin Grocery then get them freshly made. They cost an extra buck or so, but for a special occasion with friends or family, I would indulge.
My Mango Salsa travels well to your neighbor's or friend's party. Just remember to bring a bag of tortilla chips!
Ingredients
- 2 mangos - peeled and diced. About 1 1/2 to 2 cups.
- 1 cup of chopped onion - red, white or yellow. Add more or less to suit your taste.
- Cilantro - 2 tablespoons chopped.
- Juice of a lemon or lime- or 2 tablespoons from a jar.
- Jalapeño - about a teaspoon, chopped. Add a little at a time and taste, until the desired spiciness is reached. Okay to use jalapeño from a jar, just drain off pickling vinegar.
Directions
Mangoes are a bit messy and slippery to work with. They should be ripe first, with a slight softness, and yellow or reddish color, depending on the type of mango.
There are a few ways to peel a mango. I've seen them sliced in half, lengthwise around the large seed, and scoop out the flesh with a spoon. Below is how I do it.
There are a few ways to peel a mango. I've seen them sliced in half, lengthwise around the large seed, and scoop out the flesh with a spoon. Below is how I do it.
I like to peel them this way. First I slice into the skin from top to bottom four times. Make sure to slice intersecting at the top and bottom.
Now just peel each segment to remove half of the skin, at the widest half of the mango. The mango seed is flat and wide so you want to slice off the most flesh along the seed. The seed will guide your blade, just follow the seed as you slice.
Once one side is stripped of flesh, then peel the other side and repeat, slicing along the length of the seed. You can keep slicing around the seed to get all the mango flesh. Now just cut the mango flesh into bite sizes.
Chop the onion into small pieces. I used about a quarter of a large red onion. You can add more or less onion to taste.
Chop enough cilantro leaves to fill 2 tablespoons. Okay to add more or less to taste.
Add cilantro and onion to the bowl with mango.
Squeeze in the juice of one lemon or lime. Normally lime is used for salsa, but I used what I had on hand. Okay to use juice from the jar or plastic.
A good trick to get lemon or lime extra juicy is to slice it in half, then microwave it for about 10-20 seconds until warm. This will release more juice.
Mix mango, cilantro, and onion with the lemon or lime juice.
Finally, add jalapeño.
When handling jalapeño make sure not to touch your eyes or lips or you will get burned. Be sure to wash your hands with soap after working with a jalapeño. The oil from a jalapeño is very hot to delicate body parts!
When handling jalapeño make sure not to touch your eyes or lips or you will get burned. Be sure to wash your hands with soap after working with a jalapeño. The oil from a jalapeño is very hot to delicate body parts!
I like to slice the jalapeño lengthwise to cut out the white pith and remove the seeds. Discard the stem. You will have a little spiciness from jalapeno flesh, but not as much as when adding the seeds.
I used about a quarter of a large jalapeño, or about a teaspoon when chopped. If you like your salsa hotter then add more chopped jalapeno, or add jalapeño with the seeds.
If you are unsure about how much you spiciness you can take, just add a little chopped jalapeño at a time and mix, then try salsa.
Serve Mango Salsa with tortilla chips, on a taco, or in a burrito. Keep Mango Salsa in the refrigerator until ready to use. You can make it a day ahead, as it will keep for several days.
This recipe is easy to double or quadruple for more guests.
You can adjust the ingredients to suit your taste - add more mango or less jalapeño, more cilantro or even leave out the onion.
Another way to peel a mango is to just slice it lengthwise against the seed, skin, and all. Now you can just scoop out the flesh from half-slices with a spoon. Chop into bite-size pieces.
My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.
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