Burmese green mango salad

I love it when a salad comes together beautifully. Fresh greens, a light dressing with caramelized onions are perfect for this tart green mango salad. This super simple salad is essentially an assembly job that is guaranteed to please any crowd. The salad plays with the flavors of sour green mangoes that are brought alive with the sliced green chilies and the fried onions and peanuts that are traditional to most salads from Burma. The addition of a few drops of fish sauce and fried onion oil add subtle flavors that complete the salad. This is a salad that I could eat by the bowlful and is the perfect start for any dinner.

This simple recipe is from the famed restaurant in San Francisco. One of the advantages of cataloging my library on this site is now I have visibility to some of these fabulous cookbooks. Burma Superstar is a fabulous restaurant, one that I have enjoyed many a meal at, and this recipe is no exception. The recipes re authentic, vibrant and delicious, it is literally like bringing the restaurant home. This is a wonderful cookbook for Burmese cuisine.

For more recipes from this wonderful cookbook, click here.

1 small green mango, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks

1 small romaine lettuce, thinly sliced

1 cup shredded cabbage

1 thinly sliced cucumber

1/4 red onion, thinly sliced and soaked in water for 1/2 hour, drained and dried

4 tablespoons cilantro, minced

2 tablespoons roasted peanuts, chopped or left whole

2 tablespoons green chilies, sliced into thin circles

1 1/2 teaspoons chickpea (besan) flour, lightly toasted

A few drops fish sauce (avoid for vegan version)

salt, to taste

1 lime cut into wedges

1 large onion, thinly sliced

3 tablespoons oil

Start by making the fried onions, Heat the oil to a frying pan on medium heat and fry the onions till they are a medium golden, about 10 minutes. Remove and put into a bowl collecting the oil for use In the dressing. Set aside.

In abowl mix all the other ingredients, except lime wedges, tossing well. Set aside till needed.

To serve, add the salad into a deep bowl. Top with the fried onions, making sure to get the oil. Bring to the table and squeeze in 1/2 a lime. Toss well at the table and serve. Have extra lime wedges for those who like a more tart flavor.