Spicy Mango Avocado Salad [Recipes]

It’s sweltering outside in New York! I know the last thing I want to do when it’s this hot is turn on the oven. This salad requires no cooking, is pretty easy and is great for a summer day!  It’s inspired by Thai flavors and spices but can be made with ingredients you have in your cupboard!

Ingredients: [Not all ingredients pictured above!]

1 unripe mango

1 ripe avocado

1/2 red onion (I didn’t have any on hand so I used shallots)

1/4 cup of raw cashews

A handful of chopped up cilantro

For the dressing: (Everything to taste)

1 tablespoon of Sriracha

1 tablespoon of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Juice of 1 lime

1 teaspoon of soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon of rice vinegar (or use any vinegar you have on hand)

1 teaspoon of sugar

1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes

1. First peel and dice up that unripe mango. When shopping for an unripe mango – look for a firm green/yellow mango that doesn’t smell to sweet.

2. Next dice up your avocado and 1/2 red onion. When shopping for an avocado that you plan on using soon, look for a dark exterior (more brown than green) and it should be soft when you touch. (I love avocados, they have truly changed my life!)

3. Next chop up some cilantro and raw cashews. (I tend to take it easy with the cilantro, the taste can be overwheming for some people, and here is an explanation why.) Now put all your ingredients together in a bowl.

4. Okay, on to the salad dressing! I’ll be honest, I really didn’t measure how much of each ingredient I used for the dressing. I would recommend starting with small amounts and adjusting for taste! The second most important tool for cooking after your tongue is your nose! So make sure to smell the dressing as you’re making it. Trust your judgment, your brain knows what it likes!

5. Mix together the extra virgin olive oil, the sriracha, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and lime juice. Add the sugar and red pepper flakes and stir vigorously for 30 seconds. Taste and adjust as needed.

This is what my dressing ended up like. You’ll probably end up with more than you need so don’t add all of it in until you taste the salad! You don’t want the dressing overpowering the fresh ingredients.

Toss it up and just take a look at that beauty!

Eat and enjoy! Happy Summer everyone! Happy Birthday America!