Thai Green Mango Salad
Zingy, crunchy Thai salad of shredded green mango, herbs and chilli with a sweet‑sour dressing — fresh, vibrant and ready in 25 minutes.
This Thai green mango salad is all about contrasts — tart, crunchy mango meets sweet‑sour dressing and a crackle of fried shallot. Light, vibrant and brilliantly quick, it’s ideal as a starter, side or picnic plate.
Use firm green mango for the proper snap; if you’ve never made it, expect a little heat, a little sweetness and a whole lot of refreshment.
Ingredients
- 2 Green mango — firm, not overripe
- 1 Carrot — medium
- 3 Red shallots — thinly sliced
- 2 Bird's-eye chillies — or 1 for milder
- 20 g Fresh coriander — leaves picked
- 10 g Fresh mint — leaves picked
- 2 Spring onions — thinly sliced on the diagonal
- 25 g Palm sugar — or soft brown sugar
- 60 ml Lime juice — about 2 limes
- 30 ml Coconut aminos — soy‑free umami; see substitutions
- 15 ml Rice vinegar
- 20 g Sesame seeds — for toasting
- 30 ml Vegetable oil — for shallow frying shallots
- Sea salt — to taste
Equipment
- box grater or mandoline
- small saucepan
- frying pan
Instructions
Peel the green mangoes. Using a box grater, mandoline or a sharp knife, shred the flesh into fine matchsticks — aim for even, thin strands so the dressing clings. Place in a large mixing bowl.
Peel and julienne the carrot into thin matchsticks and add to the bowl with the mango.
Thinly slice the red shallots and place them in a small bowl of cold water to take the sharp edge off for 5 minutes. This removes bite but keeps texture.
Make the dressing: finely chop the bird's-eye chillies (remove seeds for less heat). In a small saucepan combine the palm sugar, lime juice, coconut aminos, rice vinegar and a pinch of sea salt. Gently warm and stir until the palm sugar has dissolved, about 90 seconds. Taste and adjust sweet/sour/salty balance.
Drain the shallots, pat dry on kitchen paper and heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the shallots, stirring constantly, until golden and crisp — about 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
Dry-toast the sesame seeds in a clean frying pan over a medium heat, shaking or stirring, until fragrant and just beginning to colour, about 2 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Finely chop the fresh coriander and mint. Thinly slice the spring onions. Add the herbs, spring onions, drained (softened) shallots and chopped chillies to the bowl with the mango and carrot.
Pour the warm dressing over the salad, toss gently but thoroughly for about 30 seconds so every strand is coated. Scatter over the toasted sesame seeds and the crisp fried shallots, season with a little extra sea salt if needed, and serve immediately.
Tips
- Choose firm, slightly immature mangoes — they shred easily and give the salad its characteristic tang and crunch.
- If you don't have a grater or mandoline, slice the mango thinly, stack and julienne with a sharp knife for even strips.
- Make the dressing ahead and keep warm; it helps dissolve palm sugar and meld flavours. Toss just before serving to preserve texture.
- Don’t over-toast sesame seeds or over-fry shallots — both can turn bitter. Remove from the heat as soon as they colour.
- To cut heat without losing flavour, remove seeds from the bird's-eye chillies before chopping.
Substitutions
Palm sugar → Soft brown sugar, same quantity (25 g)
Stays closeCoconut aminos → Tamari (30 ml) — not soy‑free but gives similar umami
Stays closeBird's-eye chillies → Fresh red chilli or ½ tsp dried chilli flakes
Noticeably differentSesame seeds → Roasted peanuts (20 g) for crunch, roughly chopped
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 214
- Calories
- 3 g
- Protein
- 28 g
- Carbs
- 10 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fibre
- 21 g
- Sugar
- 350 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I use ripe mango instead of green mango?
You can, but the texture and acidity change. Ripe mango makes the salad sweeter and softer; use one firm ripe mango and reduce palm sugar if you do.
How long can I keep this salad?
Best eaten immediately. Kept in the fridge it will hold for 24 hours, but the mango softens and fried shallots lose crispness.
Can I make the dressing without heating it?
Yes — dissolve palm sugar by finely grating it or substituting soft brown sugar, then whisk with the liquids. Warming simply helps dissolve palm sugar more quickly.
How do I reduce the heat?
Remove the seeds from the chillies before chopping, use just one chilli, or substitute a milder red chilli.
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