Mango Salsa

July 24, 2017

This is a guest post from Shahla of My Berkeley Kitchen. Find more of her recipes on her blog!

I’m very pleased to share a recipe using Oaktown Spice’s Chile Limón blend. This blend is the perfect spice to use this summer. It combines the heat of Turkish Chile and coriander with the tartness of fresh lime juice and sea salt. I can’t think of a better way to showcase these flavors together than pairing it with a fruity summer salsa.

I chose mango as the base to this salsa because mango, lime and chile have always been a classic summer time combination. The smoked Spanish paprika found in Chile Limón balances out the sweetness of mangoes. Smoked paprika is a Spanish cousin to the more widely used sweet Hungarian paprika. It's made from pimento peppers that have been dried and smoked over an oak fire, then ground into a fine powder.

You will sometimes see it called pimenton but you can always recognize this spice by its deep red color and powerful smoky aroma, which sparkle amidst the colors of this salsa, tying all the flavors together. I’ve also soaked the red onions in lime juice to macerate or soften the harshness of raw red onion.

The salsa tastes great with chips but, as shown in this post, can also serve as a light vegetarian meal. For additional toppings, include black beans, avocado, fresh corn, queso fresco, sprouts or garnish with more cilantro. Top it with yogurt or sour cream and dinner is done, just in time for Taco Tuesday. Enjoy!

Mango Salsa

Makes about 3 cups

½ cup red onion, fine dice
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, separated
3 ripe mangoes, diced, about 2 cups packed
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, stems removed and quartered
½ cup cilantro leaves, finely chopped. You should have ¼ cup after chopping.
½ teaspoon jalapeno pepper, or to taste (optional)
1 teaspoon Oaktown Spice Chile Limón
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil

In a small mixing bowl, combine red onion with 1 tablespoon lime juice (from ½ lime). Mix and let sit for 15 minutes. Set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine mangoes, cherry tomatoes, remaining 1 tablespoon lime juice, cilantro leaves, jalapeno pepper, Chile Limón, salt and olive oil. Toss to coat. Add soaked red onions with their juice. Stir to incorporate. For best flavor, let sit for at least one hour in the refrigerator. The flavors will become more pronounced over time. Serve at room temperature.

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