Mango and avocado salad with toasted sesame seeds ~ Ham Pie Sandwiches

30 April 2013

Mango and avocado salad with toasted sesame seeds

Mango and avocado salad with toasted sesame seeds

It's mango season!

I got this year's incoming mango alert from Janet of The Taste Space, who clearly loves them above all other fruit. She has an amazing array of vegan mango recipes, for those of you. Super exciting!

Anyway, when I went to the store a few days ago I discovered not only giant flats of mangos everywhere, but also a serious two-for-$1 sale. I didn't know what I was going to do with two mangos, but I bought them anyway. Avocados, green onions, and a bunch of 49-cent cilantro happened to jump into my basket too. And a few days later, when my avocados were perfectly ripe, I realized I had the makings of a seriously amazing salad on my hands.

For one large serving or two smaller servings, you'll need one small mango, one similarly sized avocado, one green onion, a handful of sesame seeds, and several stems of cilantro. If you hate cilantro, you can switch it out with fresh mint, or just leave it out entirely and double your green onions instead. I totally ate this entire thing myself, no problem.

If we'd had a cucumber lying around, I would absolutely have diced it up and added it too. Now that I've thought of that, I really need to try it. The extra crunch would be a great contrast to the softer textures of mango and avocado.

Mango and avocado salad with toasted sesame seeds

Mango and avocado salad with toasted sesame seeds

mango
avocado
green onion
cilantro
sesame seeds
red pepper flakes
salt
sesame oil

Start by cutting up your mango. If you've never done this before, here's a YouTube video that shows the technique very clearly.

Cut the mango flesh off the pit, one side at a time. Slice a crosshatch into each side of the mango, bringing the point of the knife up to but not through the skin. Scoop the finished pieces out with a spoon, or turn the skin inside out and cut off the pieces with a small knife. Trim as many extra bits from around the pit as possible. Peel and dice those as well.

Cut the avocado in half, removing the pit. Crosshatch each side, just like you did with the mango. Use a spoon to scoop out the cubes of avocado flesh.

Put your mango and avocado into a large bowl and mix gently. You may have to use your fingers to separate the bits of avocado.

Trim a green onion, halve it lengthwise, and cut it into fine slices. If you like cilantro, strip the leaves off several stems and chop them roughly. Add the green onion & herbs to the mixing bowl.

Toast a generous handful of sesame seeds in a small frying pan over medium heat. Keep an eye out and swirl the pan frequently. As they cook, the seeds will darken a bit, pop, and start to smell toasty and amazing. As soon as your seeds have turned golden, take them off the heat. Wait a minute for them to cool slightly before adding them to the bowl. The whole toasting process should take about five minutes.

Mango and avocado salad with toasted sesame seeds

Season your bowl of salad lightly with salt and red pepper flakes. Dress with a squeeze of sesame oil. Gently mix the entire business together. Taste, correct any seasonings, and serve.

This salad would be perfect alongside some seared teriyaki tofu or salmon. Actually, sushi-grade salmon cut into strips would be a great garnish to arrange across the top of a serving of salad. That sounds like the best lunch in the world.

What are you making with all the mangos that have been popping up lately?

11 comments:

Michelle said...

I was thinking through this that hot sauce would be delicious on top of it all, and then you added red chile flakes. Done and done. I love some mango!

Veronica said...

You've inspired me again! You're right: I think it needs cucumber... and I'd add lime juice, just because. Mmm, food.

ashley - baker by nature said...

I just bought a boatload of mangos yesterday! This salad will be made!

foodfeud said...

Oof, mango and avocado is a combination straight from heaven. The addition of green onion sounds even better! Never thought to toast sesame seeds and dump it on top too but I shall next time.

Monet said...

My college roommate and I used to split a mango every single night of our freshmen year. We were obsessed! This salad looks like a much more sophisticated way to enjoy our favorite college fruit. Thank you for sharing such a beauty!

Catherine Weber said...

My husband is allergic to mango :( I still eat one every now and then, but not nearly as often as I used to! I will live vicariously through you. ;)

Joanne said...

I can't ever get enough of mangoes! I wish they were being sold here for that cheap...lucky! This salad sounds so delicious. A fun way to use them other than just eating them plain!

Jes said...

Holy mango--2 for $1 is insanely cheap! Send some to me? :) Loving that salad, looks so tropical!

Eileen said...

No kidding--there was no way I could pass mangos up at that price! So glad you guys like the salad. And I definitely think lime juice would be an excellent punch too!

Daniela Grimburg said...

Mangos and avocados:this sounds like a match made in heaven!
Wonderful combination of flavors and perfect for summer.

leaf (the indolent cook) said...

Looks awesome, and definitely YES with sashimi, I'd like that very much!