spicy shrimp & mango salad

As luscious mango tumbles into a bowl along with fresh mint leaves, cilantro & splashes of lime juice & you skewer the shrimp that have been marinating with ginger, soy & sambal oelek, you can picture the white sandy beaches & turquoise waters of some exotic Asian island. Or almost picture…it’s good to dream. Right? This recipes has all those elements we love about South East Asian cuisine – sweet, salty, sour & spicy – better yet, it’s ready in about 30 minutes, especially with a little make-ahead prep.

Skewering shrimp to throw on the grill makes sense: if you’ve ever stoo, crestfallen, tongs in hand & peered down at a shrimp that managed to fall through the grates, you’ll understand what I mean. That doesn’t happen when they’re all lined up on skewers & they’re easier to turn.

There’s lots to love about this recipe – the flavors, the make-ahead elements & the relative speed at which it can come together. Make it for a weeknight dinner or for an alfresco soiree next time you have friends over. The weather is warming up & that is something to be grateful for. Cheers, Lovoni

Here’s a little more salad inspo we love: Strawberry, Bacon & Candied Walnut Salad; Thai Peppered Beef Salad.

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5 from 1 vote

spicy shrimp & mango salad

This recipe has all those wonderful elements common to South East Asian cuisine – sweet, salty, sour and spicy. And it has make-ahead elements so when the time comes, it can be ready in less than 30 minutes.

Prep Time25 mins

Cook Time6 mins

marinating1 hr

Total Time31 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: South East Asian

Author: Lovoni

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup sambal oelek chili paste
• 2 large garlic cloves peeled
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoons chopped peeled ginger
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lime zest rind
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• pinch salt & pepper
• 24 jumbo raw shrimp peeled & deveined, leaving tails intact
• 8 x 10-inch metal skewers 23cm
• 2 large ripe mangoes, peeled & sliced
• 1/2 small red onion, cut into thin wedges
• 6 radish, trimmed & cut julienne
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped mint leaves
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves coriander
• 1/3 cup chopped honey roasted cashews
• mint leaves, coriander leaves, sambal oelek & lime wedges, to serve

Instructions

• In a blender, add sambal, garlic, honey, soy, ginger, sesame oil & zest; blend until smooth. Mixture makes about 3/4 cup. Pour approximately half the sambal mixture into a medium bowl. Add juice, salt & pepper; set aside. This will be the dressing for the salad. (This can be done 2 days ahead of time & stored in a jar in the fridge.)
• In another bowl, combine shrimp & remaining sambal mixture; stir until shrimp are well coated. Cover & set aside in the fridge for 1 hour, if time permits. (Shrimp can be marinated a day ahead & stored in a sealed container in the fridge.) Thread 3 shrimp onto each skewer.
• Preheat the grill (barbie) to medium-high. Cook shrimp on greased grill for 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until just cooked & grill marks appear.
• Add mango, onion, radish, mint & cilantro to dressing; toss gently to combine. Sprinkle salad with cashews.
• Serve shrimp skewers with mango salad. Serve with extra mint leaves, cilantro leaves, sambal & lime wedges.