From: Chef Robert Danhi, Easy Thai Cooking. Yield: 6 cups.
2 cloves smashed garlic
8 thin slices fresh ginger
2-4 Thai bird chilies
3 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp. Thai palm sugar or light brown sugar
1 Tbsp. fish sauce
pinch of sea salt or kosher salt
1⁄4 cup thinly sliced shallots
3-4 unripe mangos (about 4 lb.), peeled, seed removed and cut into matchstick strips (6 cups)
2 tsp. finely sliced kaffir lime leaves (about 6 leaves) or 1 tsp. minced lime zest
1⁄4 cup roughly chopped coriander leaves (cilantro)
1⁄4 cup crushed or chopped toasted cashews
Pound the garlic, ginger and chilies using a mortar and pestle, or pulse in a processor until it forms a coarse paste. Add lime juice, sugar, fish sauce and salt. Mix until sugar is dissolved. Use this dressing to coat shallots, mangos, kaffir lime leaves and coriander leaves. Sample the coated mango and adjust seasoning with lime juice, fish sauce, sugar and salt. Spoon into serving bowl and sprinkle with chopped cashews.
Note: A typical 9-count mango weighs about 18 oz. and yields approximately 11 oz. useable fruit.
PHOTO: Christian Clements and Susie Donald