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.
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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.
spicy shrimp & mango salad
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.
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