Thai Mango Salad

Ingredients

• 3 mangoes
• 1 medium red bell pepper (Or yellow or orange bell peppers can be used instead.)
• 1 Fresno chile (3-inch in length - Substitute with a red jalapeño or Thai bird's eye chile for varying heat levels.)
• 1 red shallot (or 4 garlic cloves, minced - Use red onion in a pinch.)
• 12 medium cooked shrimp
• 2 tbsp brown sugar (or coconut palm sugar for making it vegan)
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (Or lemon or coconut vinegar can be used, but lime provides the best flavor.)
• 2 tbsp cilantro (finely chopped, Or omit if you don’t enjoy cilantro.)
• 2 tbsp green onions (finely sliced, Or you can use extra cilantro or chives.)
• 3 tbsp roasted peanuts (roughly chopped (or Almonds, pecans, or other nuts can be used).)
• 3 tbsp roasted cashew nuts (roughly chopped)
• 1 sprig of fresh mint leaves (Or, try Thai basil.)

Instructions

1. 1

   Peel the mango with a vegetable peeler. For an unripened mango, use a grater like the kind you would use for cabbage salad, or a kitchen mandoline and grate the flesh of the mangoes into thin strips. For a ripe mango, use a sharp, dry knife to slice the fruit away from the pit. Slice the mango chunks into thin strips and transfer them to a salad bowl.

2. 2

   Remove the seeds and finely slice the bell pepper into thin strips. Add to the bowl!

3. 3

   Cut the chile in half, crosswise. Then, thinly slice it and reserve for garnishing the salad.

4. 4

   Peel the shallot, cut in half lengthwise, and thinly slice it. Then add to the bowl. If you’re using minced garlic instead, add it to the salad bowl!

5. 5

   If you use cooked shrimp in your salad, also add it to the bowl and toss it with the mango and veggies.

6. 6

   In a Mason jar, shake together brown sugar, fish sauce, lime juice, cilantro, and greens onions until thoroughly combined. Add the dressing to the salad and toss until the salad is fully coated.

7. 7

   Garnish the top of the salad with the nuts and fresh mint leaves. Serve it: As a main dish, with shrimp or crispy tofu; as a side, without shrimp!