Not Another Food Blog

Watercress salad with mango & sesame

Sometimes in winter I will splurge on a mango.  It’s so precious during the cold months that I will consume it in an almost worshiping of way; sucking every piece of flesh from the stone,  juices dripping down my hands, licking my fingers like it’s my last meal. Mangoes are coming back! The diamond in the crown of the fruit platter will be cheap and plentiful very soon and I will be able to stuff my face with it once again. In fact, it will be so affordable that I shall no longer feel guilty consuming it with less passion and fervour. It will be used generously in smoothies, salads, desserts, and sauces. They will even rot on my kitchen bench just because I have too many.

Mangoes make a great dressing that can be used in salads, for marinating grilled seafood and sprinkled over kingfish or tuna carpaccio. It goes well with lime, chilli, coriander, basil, cracked pepper and ginger. Pick a softer fruit for dressings and smoothies, and a firmer one for slicing in salads or skewering.

Watercress salad with mango dressing & black sesame seeds

Ingredients
Serves 4

1 bunch watercress, sprigs picked
1 bunch rocket, about 50g
handful of fresh coriander leaves
1 medium avocado, peeled and sliced
1 Lebanese cucumber, sliced
1/2 medium Spanish onion, sliced thinly
1-2 tbs black sesame seeds

Dressing
1 mango, peeled and flesh scooped and chopped
1/2 long red chili, seedless and finely chopped
pinch of salt
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 lime juice
cracked pepper

1. Liquefy all dressing ingredients in a blender or with a soup mixer until smooth. If the mango is too firm add some orange juice to dilute the mixture. Omit the cracked pepper until serving.
2. Toss the salad with 2-3 tablespoons of dressing and half of the sesame seeds.
3. Serve individually on plates with a teaspoon of dressing on the side, some extra seeds and cracked pepper sprinkled on top. Otherwise have it all pre-mixed if serving in a large group salad bowl. This salad is great as a side, especially with BBQ meat and seafood, and on its own with some nice bread.

Note:  Serve as soon as possible to prevent greens from going soggy, otherwise leave the dressing out until you’re ready to eat.