Goin' Green

When you live in certain countries of Latin America, you realize there is a lot of poverty. But since there is a lot of need, there is also a lot of inventiveness. Whomever came up with eating certain fruits and vegetables 'green', and making them taste good is a genius. Today I am tackling GREEN MANGO. Mangoes in the United States are light green in color with a nice touch of red, but if you squeeze them, they feel soft. The more you let them sit, the riper and sweeter they get. But in this case, we want them totally unripe. In Spanish they are called Mangos Verdes. They are a deep green and very hard to the touch. You can't peel them the way you peel a ripe mango. You either have to peel them with a paring knife, or a potato peeler will do. Green mangoes are sour. Some are very, very sour. The seed is smaller than in a ripe mango.

So what do you do with a GREEN MANGO? Well, in Honduras you can buy them in baggies from the street vendors, peeled cut in strips. They douse them with a mixture of vinegar, spices (Cumin, pepper and salt) and hot sauce upon request. You buy a beer along with the mango and take it into the stadium to watch the weekly soccer game. Absolutely awesome in the hot tropical weather.

But let's spice it up a bit, chef style. My chef takes a green mango and dices it to make a Green Chunky Mango Pineapple Salsa to put it on grilled chicken or fish. Or you can dress your tacos up with this chunky salsa instead of that bottled stuff.

So here is a recipe:
Green Chunky Mango Pineapple Salsa.
1 green mango washed, peeled and finely diced. Discard the pit.
1 small can of pineapple in chunks (unsweetened) drain the liquid and save it. Finely dice it some more.
1 small yellow Spanish onion finely diced.
1 medium sized jalapeno.
If you want the heat, keep the seeds and veins. HEY, use gloves before handling a jalapeno or else.
Juice from 1 lime.
1 tsp of chopped cilantro.
1/4 tsp ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
Mix in a bowl and let the flavors explode together for 1 hour, or overnight. This can be prepared ahead of time for a party. As you double or triple the recipe, adjust the spices to taste. That is the great thing about Latin cooking, grandma has her special touch, I have mine and you will have yours.

For watching your weight, this is low in calories and great in flavor. You can top grilled chicken or fish for a great hot summer meal. Remember that pineapple liquid you saved? Make it into a marinade for the chicken or mix with apple cider vinegar, canola oil and fresh ground pepper for a salad dressing. Money saving and fresh.

Where do you find green mangoes? In the Charlotte, NC area there are a lot of Latino markets that have opened up. My favorite is Compare Foods that are scattered around the area. But the best one is on the corner of Independence Boulevard and Idlewild Road. Be prepared to be assaulted by the variety of produce offered. I feel like a kid in a candy store when I go there. I hope you enjoy this recipe.