I have a few recipes that I like to go to frequently.  One of my favorites in my Fresh Mango Salsa.  The beauty of this recipe is how versatile it is. Whether you are vegan or not, this salsa goes as well on tortilla chips and tacos as it does on chicken and fish (for those non-vegan family and friends). 

Personally, I usually wait for mangoes to go on sale when I make this.  It’s February as I write this post and all our markets have fresh mangoes for under $1.00.  Honestly, I rarely see mangoes for more than $3.00, but one of the keys I find to be successful in the whole food plant-based (WFPB) lifestyle is to buy produce when it is in season and on sale.  Pay less and the produce is fresher.  I should note that I have tried and failed miserably using frozen mango, so I recommend sticking to fresh when making this salsa.

Mangoes and avocados have always challenged me when it comes to ripeness.  There is a short window that if you cut too early, you have unripe fruit, but a day too late, the fruit has gone bad.  This time, I purchased the mango about seven days ago.  It was pretty green and hard.  After leaving the mango on the counter for six days, the color started to turn yellow and red.  The fruit was also softer when squeezed gently.  I threw it in the refrigerator to stop the ripening process and scheduled time the next day to use the mango for this recipe.  I got lucky, the mango was perfect!  Ripe, sweet, and juicy!

Seriously, timing the ripeness of the mango is the most difficult part of this recipe!  Everything else is essentially chopping and mixing.

The ingredients are simple. 

1 ripe mango (I use the common Red Mando or two or three small Honey Mangoes)

1 jalapeno

½ red onion

½ cup of black beans, rinsed

Juice from ½ of a lime

Cilantro

½ teaspoon of ground cumin

½ teaspoon of sea salt

That is it!  Dice the mango and red onion.  Finely chop the jalapeno.  In a bowl combine the mango, jalapeno, red onion, rinsed black beans, cilantro, lime juice, ground cumin, and salt and mix.

Word of caution!  Wash your hands after chopping the jalapeno and definitely do not touch your eyes (or private parts) until you’ve thoroughly washed your hands (and don’t forget under your fingernails).

As I mentioned, this salsa is great with tortilla chips.  For dinner, I’ll make vegan tacos for myself with vegan refried beans, avocado, and arugula…this salsa would rock the top of the vegan tacos.  For my wife, I’ll make shrimp tacos for her that will also pair perfectly!

This salsa has a nice Mexican or Tex-Mex vibe…but I have a twist to this recipe that will take you to the other side of the world!

With the addition of one simple ingredient, this salsa is turned into an Indian Chutney! 

By adding 1 teaspoon of Chaat Masala (which can be easily found in an Indian or Asian market or on Amazon where everything in the world can be found), this salsa is transformed into the exotic flavors of an Indian Mango chutney!  Although the black beans are not traditional to Indian cooking, all the other ingredients can be found in traditional Indian recipes.  Substitute the black beans with mung beans or black-eyed peas if you want a more traditional Indian legume, but I promise you, nobody will complain about the black beans in this chutney with the unmistakable Indian flavors.

I hope you give this recipe a try.  Inexpensive, flavorful, versatile, and yummy!

As always, if you have any questions or comments, please leave them and I will respond as soon as possible!

To your health!

Stephen