Mango Cucumber Salad (Asian)
User Reviews
5
Mango Cucumber Salad (Asian)
Description
The Mango Cucumber Salad balances the sweet, firm mango with the crisp texture of Japanese cucumber and the sharpness of minced red onion. The dressing blends white sugar dissolved in hot water with fish sauce, lime juice, minced garlic, and optional red chili pepper, delivering layers of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy notes typical of many Southeast Asian salads. This combination brightens and ties together the ingredients.
Allowing the salad to chill for an hour enhances the melding of flavors, making it more harmonious and well-rounded. The crunchy texture of cucumber and the juicy mango provide refreshing contrast, ideal for warm weather or alongside grilled dishes.
Additional ingredients like avocado, poached shrimp, or shredded chicken can transform this side salad into a more substantial meal. Serving it chilled or at room temperature helps maintain its crispness and vibrant flavors.
Ingredients
Salad sauce
- 2 Tablespoons white sugar Substitute: neutral honey. I don't recommend brown sugar.
- 4 Tablespoons water To dissolve the white sugar, hot
- 2 Tablespoons fish sauce
- 1½-2 Tablespoons lime juice I like calamansi lime but you can use key lime juice, rice vinegar or 1 of these substitutes, fresh
- 3-4 garlic Peeled and minced, cloves
- 1 red chili pepper Optional. Deseed and slice thinly, fresh
Salad ingredients
- 1 Mango Peeled, de-seeded and cut into ½ inch cubes. Flesh should be firm but not hard. Ripe mangoes emit a sweet smell and you may see some juice flowing out even when the mango is uncut. You can use more mango if you want a sweeter salad but I find 1 is enough as this is a summer side dish not dessert!, ripe
- 1 Japanese cucumber Cut into ½ inch cubes. No need to skin or de-seed. Substitute: English cucumber or Persian Cucumber. I don't recommend conventional cucumber as they have thicker skin and bigger seeds- you will need to skin with a potato peeler and de-seed to get the same taste. (More work!)
- ¼-½ red onion Peeled and minced. You can use other onions or shallots. If you find the raw taste too pungent, soak in ice water for 5-10 minutes to soften the flavor.
- 1 prig spring onions Sliced. Substitute or supplement with cilantro, mint or 1 of these scallion substitutes
- 20 cherry tomato Quartered. You can substitute with bell peppers- if so, use more mango as bell peppers aren't as sweet as cherry tomatoes
Instructions
Make the sauce
- Pour the hot water over the sugar and mix till dissolved then combine well with the other ingredients.Note: if using honey, you can just mix everything together.
Mix the salad
- Mix all the ingredients with the sauce.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 1 hour for best flavor. If not, can be eaten immediately too.
Notes
- Soaking minced red onion in ice water for 5-10 minutes can soften its sharpness if desired.
- Avocado can be added for creaminess or poached shrimp and shredded chicken to add protein.
- Use Japanese cucumber for its thin skin and small seeds for best texture; English or Persian cucumbers are acceptable substitutes.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 63 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 63kcal | 3% |
| Carbohydrates | 15g | 5% |
| Protein | 2g | 4% |
| Fat | 0.3g | 0% |
| Saturated Fat | 0.1g | 1% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.1g | 1% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 0.1g | 1% |
| Sodium | 481mg | 20% |
| Potassium | 314mg | 7% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 12g | 24% |
| Vitamin A | 781IU | 16% |
| Vitamin C | 40mg | 44% |
| Calcium | 27mg | 3% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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