Quick Mango Jaggery Salsa
summer bounty
We always seem to be in the US when the Alphonso season hits India and I miss the luscious flavor of this summer fruit. As I lamented yet again about the absence of the golden fruit in my kitchen, I spotted Australian mangoes in the weekly Melissa’s Produce newsletter.
Tempted by my weakness, a few days later I was working with a small batch of juicy and fragrant mangoes, their fragrance taking over my kitchen and living room again.
Australian mangoes look much like the Alphonso, oval fruits with a sweet and caramel like fragrance. But they are very different in taste. While Alphonso is fleshy and low on fiber, Australian mangoes are high fiber and juicy. The juice is tart and best suited for a smoothie or shake and my original plan to add them to a fruit salad failed – the chunks would not hold their shape because they are so juicy. So, we moved on to plan B: eat it all in one shot.
Alternately, this was plan C - mom suggested I make a quick fix instant mango relish, which tastes more like a salsa than relish. Normally we would serve this alongside our meals, but as I made it, I could see this being served alongside all sorts of appetizers. The tartness of the Australian mango pairs just perfectly with the dense sweetness of Kolhapuri jaggery – a winning combination. Now you too can make this luscious Quick Mango Jaggery Salsa.
Quick Mango Jaggery Salsa
Makes: 1 cup TIme: 15 minutes plus prep time
Ingredients ¼ cup finely diced red or white onions ¼ tsp salt 1 Australian Mango, skin removed, diced (see mango prep techniques here) ½ tsp cumin coriander powder 1 tsp cayenne pepper 4 tbsp. finely grated Kolhapuri jaggery Salt, to taste
Method
Dust the onions with the ¼ tsp salt and set aside for 15 minutes to let the onions sweat. Using a muslin cloth or strainer, extract and remove as much of the onion juice as possible. Rinse once after done and squeeze any remaining water away from the onions. Spread the onions out onto a paper towel for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix the remaining ingredients until well combined. Stir carefully to keep the mango pieces intact. Add the red onion and mix again. Serve immediately alongside water-crackers or low-salt crackers or as a side to your favorite spicy protein dish.
This salsa is best consumed cold, within 2 days of preparation.
PS: My daughter consumed both picture plates in less than 5 minutes after the photoshoot, and I suspect the same will happen in your home.
