Salad Days

I know it sounds a little silly but I do like to have a feature salad each summer. It isn't that it the only one I make, it is just one I feature (if only in my own head).

Two years ago I had my potato salad, last year was a tomato, basil and bocconcini mix and this year I was working with my version of Nigella's watermelon salad from the Forever Summer book of a few years back. Then I saw something very similar featured in a magazine so I figure everyone will be making it (big doh!) so..... here is my new feature salad for the summer :

Mango and Snow Pea Salad

2 tsp grated fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, crushed
60ml (1/4 cup) rice vinegar
1 lime, juiced
1 tbs caster sugar
2 kaffir lime leaves, thinly shredded
1 small red chilli, seeded, sliced
2 mangoes, peeled
200ml light olive oil
1 telegraph cucumber, very thinly sliced lengthways
2 cups snow pea shoots
75g fresh mint leaves (or parsley)
6 spring onions, finely sliced

Place the ginger, garlic, rice vinegar, lime juice, sugar, kaffir lime leaves and chilli in a bowl. Set aside for 30 - 60 minutes to allow flavours to develop.

Place the flesh from one of the mangoes in a food processor and puree, then add the oil and process until smooth. Thinly slice flesh from the remaining mango and add to a bowl with the cucumber, snow pea shoots, mint and shallots.

Stir mango puree into the ginger mix and drizzle over the salad.

The original recipe called for the addition of chicken (as you can see in the picture) but I think it works just as well without. Mind you some cubed haloumi cooked until golden in a little butter would be a great addition if it was going to be served immediately now I think about it ;-)