Mmmmmmmango Raita/Salsa

I like to have a different flavour with my meal – something to complement it, and often to refresh the palate.

I love raitas – the side dishes for Indian meals. I love banana in coconut, I used to love cucumber in yoghurt, I love tomato and onion…I also adore mango chutney and lime pickle.

I’ve always loved fruit salsas – the orange fleshy fruits, such as rockmelon and papaya, seem to be best for salsas. The combination of sweet fruit and tart vinegar and hot chilli is so brilliant.

So, this raita is a salsa is a savoury fruit salad – whatever you call it, it tastes amazing. The tenderness and sweetness of the mango went amazingly well with the I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Chicken and Basmati Rice Pilaf.

Fresh Mango Raita/Salsa

Ingredients

1 ripe mango
Spring onion, sliced
1 fresh or dried red chilli, deseeded and sliced
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Olive oil

Method

Cut the cheeks of the mango off, and score slices into the flesh. Pop it inside out and cut the mango flesh from the skin. Cut the sides of the mango off the stone and remove the flesh from the skin. Put the mango slices into a bowl. Toss the sliced spring onion and chilli into the bowl and stir with the mango. Mix the vinegar, lemon juice and a tiny splash of olive oil together and pour over the mango. Stir through.

Leave for at least half an hour, stirring occasionally, to let the flavours meld.