Monday 16 November 2015

Thai Green Mango Salad


You know, I love mangoes. It's my favorite fruit. Eh, wait. Or is that durians? Or bananas? Hmmm... quite hard to choose. Let's say for now, it is mangoes. 



I love eating mangoes as they are, just peel, slice and eat. And of course, I love them in rojak and also in kerabu. And don't forget pickled mangoes and Mango Chutney. There is also mango curry which I had many years ago and it was delicious. 


I guess there are many things you can do with mango and I should explore more recipes. Right now, I am making a mango salad/kerabu which is slightly different from what I have attempted before. This Thai Green Mango Salad contains a few ingredients which I have not used in a kerabu before - fried shallots, fried garlic and minced pork. It involves a little bit more work but as I discovered, it was well worth the effort.


You start by making fried shallots, garlic, dried shrimps and chilies. Remember, make more than enough for added flavor and enjoyment. This I learnt after eating the salad. Though it was good, it could use more of these ingredients.


This salad also incorporates some protein in the form of minced pork. After you complete making the above four components, you cook the minced meat (in the same oil, so flavorful!) and season it with fish sauce.


While the meat is set aside to cool, that's when you work on the glorious mangoes.


The mangoes are peeled and grated.


Then you toss the grated mangoes, fried shallots, garlic, dried shrimps, chilies and fried minced pork. For added fragrance and flavor, add thinly sliced raw shallots, fresh coriander and basil leaves. And for some crunch, scatter the salad with crushed peanuts.


If you are wondering why I have not added any lime juice, that's because the unripe mangoes are already very tart. I have added some plum sauce (instead of sugar) for some sweetness. I also had to adjust the flavor by adding more fish sauce. Of course if you want some freshness from lime, by all means, squeeze a lime or two into the salad and balance out the sourness with sugar or plum sauce.


The salad I made is good for two portions. It's good as a main meal by itself since it has proteins and vegetables. As I sat down to enjoy this salad, which was excellent by the way, I just kept on eating. I kept taking some from the portion I set aside.


Before I knew it, I finished both portions. It was that good. This is one salad that I will make again in spite of the extra work involved. Well, that made for a very good and filling lunch. An overindulgence that I shall not feel guilty about!



Thai Green Mango Salad
Recipe source : Adapted from Spicy Salads (page 36)

Ingredients :
- 150g minced meat
- 7 shallots, thinly sliced (for frying)
- 5 shallots, thinly sliced (left raw)
- 2 tablespoons dried shrimps, soaked and drained.
- 7 cloves garlic, sliced
- 2 red chillies, sliced
- 2 unripe mangoes, grated
- Coriander leaves, torn
- Basil leaves, torn
- 1 tablespoon plum sauce or to taste
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce or to taste
- Some crushed peanuts and extra for sprinkling
- Oil for frying

Method :
1. Heat oil in wok and fry shallots until golden brown. Remove and set aside.
2. Then fry the garlic until brown and crispy. Remove and set aside.
3. Fry the dried shrimps until fragrant and crispy. Remove and set aside.
4. The fry chilies briefly until it is wilted. Remove and set aside.
5. Then add the minced meat and fish sauce. Fry until meat is cooked. Remove and set aside to cool.
6. To make the salad, toss the grated mangoes with the fried shallots, garlic, dried shrimps, chilies, raw sliced shallots, peanuts, coriander and basil leaves. Add plum sauce and adjust for seasoning.
7. Pile salad on a serving platter and sprinkle with extra crushed peanuts.


50 comments:

  1. Wow, PH....I am mouth watering when I see your Thai kerabu....with mince meat, shallots and dried shrimps....all my favourite....I can finish all as well...
    Thanks for linking up with LTU!

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    1. Thank you Jozelyn! You are so fast to visit. I am happy that you chose mango as LTU theme!

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  2. I don't fancy salad, but there are 2 salads that I like - this Thai kerabu thingy and that chicken feet kerabu thingy.. I guess the lime and mango slices make a huge difference.. Very mouth-watering, swallowing saliva now.. Too troublesome to make my own, I see lots of shredding, but I always order this if I eat in Thai restaurant, yummmzzz..

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    1. Louiz, you will enjoy this mango kerabu thingy hee..hee...

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  3. Now this is something I would really really like. Funny, I am not into sour things but if it is kerabu, I would end up going for a second helping of rice to eat it with. Love it so much...and if it is Thai, I'm in...anytime. Love Thai cuisine...a lot!!!

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    1. Mango kerabu is the exception to the rule, eh? I love Thai cuisine too and mango kerabu is my must-order.

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  4. Overindulgence is bad, regardless of what food we take, even if it is a somewhat healthy salad. So you should definitely feel guilty for walloping two portions instead of one. But... in the name of deliciousness, the yummy index will balance out the guilt index, so it is fine.

    Btw, I feel guilty and contented all the time too! :D :D

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    1. You ah...such a spoilsport hah..hah... Guilty and contented? That's a really nice kind of feeling :D

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  5. mangoes mangoes, the man goes to eat mangoes!! i also like mangoes, sweet or sour, soft or crunchy, fresh or preserved, mangoes in appetisers, mangoes in desserts, mangoes in snacks etc, i think they all have their taste-charm to me..

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    1. So, the man loves mangoes! hee..hee...

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  6. and of course this LOADED (again) Thai Green Mango Salad from PH's Kitchen is something to die for.. aiyoh, maybe it's the flavor of this dish, immediately i am drooling already, hahaha.. and sweetness and sourness as well as the blend of the spices and sauces, the crunchiness of ingredients in it, it is actually something rather amazing huh??

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    1. Oh yah, you could say this is a loaded mango kerabu. I found this recipe amazing as I have never imagined adding fried shallots and garlic into a kerabu.

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  7. I loves mangoes, eat on it's own... But mangoes here, not cheap.... I like the salad you made... Can only see, but cannot eat, sobssssss....

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  8. I am drooling just looking at your plate of mango salad, love all the combination! Its so so appetising, wish i could dig into it now, heehee.

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    1. Veronica, you have got to try this recipe!

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  9. I love mango salad! Yummy!

    Must find one lah...

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  10. WOW!!!PH, your mango salad makes me mouth watering. Looks super delicious!!!

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    1. Thanks, Ann! It is delicious and you should try it :)

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  11. Very appetising salad, I could just have it with 2 bowls of rice.

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    1. I had it without rice and it was so good!

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  12. Just looking at your salad picture makes my mouth waters. I love mangoes and with all those ingredients I doubly and triple portions also can eat!

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    1. Good for you, Nancy! We can sit down to a big, big bowl of mango salad :D

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  13. The salad looks great! btw. we have a very similar glass bowl:)

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    1. Oh really? I got that bowl as a free gift from buying something, which I forget hah..hah..

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  14. my favourite salad and your looks delectable...I am drooling !

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  15. I like to eat mangoes too! But somehow I don't like to eat deep fried shallots but I can tolerate them so I will eat everything in this salad!

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    1. Mun, can always omit the fried shallots.

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  16. awwww...mango salad.... anytime for me :)

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  17. I also like mangoes, love the sweetness of this fruit, yum yum

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    1. Me too, I had two mangoes for dinner yesterday :)

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  18. Hi Phong Hong
    I love mangoes and usually either have it fresh and made pickles. Never had tried it as salad... i bet it sounds very refreshing too.

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    1. Mel, try it! I am sure you will love it.

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  19. Wow! This is so mouth watering, so detestable, so appetising!!!

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  20. I see the first four items you fried and I like it already. This mango salad looks so nice I'm very tempted to try (don't mind the extra work) as I do like stuff with a tinge of sour....but I'm always fearful that the mangoes I buy are too tart. I'm not so sure of the addition of minced pork though as I've not tasted a mango salad with it. Also, I thought you have to julienne the mango thinly by hand (and I'm not very good at that) and didn't know you could actually grate it....wouldn't it come out mushy and wet (since grating tends to do that)?

    P/S: I see you have the same chicken motif plates that I have....nice!

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    1. The mango won't be too mushy if it is still hard and not ripened. There will be some moisture but not much. Oh yes, that plate! I noticed it in one of your posts :) Bought at Aeon because I thought it would look nice in pics hee..hee..

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  21. yes...one of my favourite dish. So yummy and appetising

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    1. This kerabu mangga I will always order at the Thai restaurant.

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  22. One of my favouriite appetizing dishes!! But nowadays dont know why my teeth feel very numb after eating... Now i am saluvating just thinking of this....

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    1. Oh, you too? I also same, if eat too much sour things even brushing teeth is painful.

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  23. Phong Hong, I need some tissues to wipe my saliva .. drooling! These Thai green mango salad of yours really set me drool ^-^!

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  24. Hi Phong Hong,

    After reading your post, I'm craving for a bowl of freshly made Thai green mango salad now!!! Drooling drooling ...

    Zoe

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    1. Hi Zoe! If you can get unripe mangoes, do give this a try!

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  25. Wow! You are certified a Diva in making this mango salad by using plum sauce instead to enhance the already sour taste! You lagi pandai to add the fried shallots which the Thai chefs should learn from you. LOL
    If my mum is alive, she would give your mango salad her thumbs up too. She made this very often all her life and experimented them from time to time using various ingredients including sliced bak kwa and other tid bits.

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    1. TM, thank you for the glowing compliments hah..hah... If my mango salad pass your Mum's test, then I am very proud indeed!

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