Thai Mango Salad

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Photo by u_m_a_m_i/flickr

Ingredients

2 firm, half-ripe mangoes
1/2 teaspoon salt
125 g/4 oz pork fillet (tenderloin)
or lean pork mince
1 tablespoon peanut oil
3 tablespoons shrimp floss*
1 tablespoon fish sauce
juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon palm sugar or brown sugar
2 teaspoons fried garlic
2 tablespoons crisp fried shallots
2 tablespoons roasted peanuts, crushed
1 red chilli, finely sliced

Directions

With a sharp knife cut a small slice off stem ends of mangoes and discard. Peel the mangoes. Cut flesh either side of the seed into 2 or 3 slices, then cut the slices into julienne strips. Sprinkle with salt and toss gently.

Chop pork very finely or use lean pork mince instead. Heat the oil in a wok and stir-fry the pork until brown. Add shrimp floss, fish sauce, lime juice and sugar, mixing well. Add fried garlic and shallots, both of which may be purchased already fried. Otherwise heat 2 tablespoons oil and fry on low heat 2 teaspoons of dried garlic flakes. Lift out on a metal strainer before they brown, then drain on paper towels. Fry 1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots on moderately low heat in the same oil until golden brown. Drain and leave to become cool and crisp. Toss with the pork mixture. Shortly before serving, combine the cooked mixture with the mangoes, toss lightly and serve sprinkled with peanuts and chilli slices.

Serves 4 as a relish with rice and other dishes.

* Process 2 tablespoons dried shrimp in a food processor to obtain shrimp floss.

Recipe excerpted from Encyclopedia of Asian Food by Charmaine Solomon (Periplus Editions, 1998)