The FunDish

Mango Salsa

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Intriguingly tangy, bitterly sweet, and colourfully appetizing, mango salsa offers so much more than its supposed health benefits. Given organically sourced mango, and flavourful citrus pizzaz, the perfect lunch addition is just a little bit of chopping away! This recipe is perfect to top tacos, salads, or perhaps your favourite nachos. A dont-knock-it-till-you-try type recipe otherwise known as the refreshing twist on your traditional salsa or Pico de Gallo; this is one the whole family can enjoy! Turn a guilty pleasure into something filled with vitamin C and a good serving of fruits and vegetables 🙂

Servings, Skill, and Time To Cook

Makes 4 Generous Servings
Skill Level: EasyTotal Time: 15 Minutes
Total time will vary depending on a variety of individual factors

Ingredients

Procedure

  1. Dicing: To start, dice your mango and red onion. Begin by chopping the cheeks off of your mango before running you knife lengthwise and downwards multiple times to create lines; just gentle enough to not cut through to the skin at the back.

2. Mixing in Chopped Cilantro: Chop your cilantro finely until you are left with small, suitable additions to the salsa. From here, add it to your bowl of already chopped mango and red onion, mixing as necessary.

3. The Significance of a Ripe Citrus Fruit: Ensure that your fridge is equipped with a ripe lime or lemon before juicing, and merely eye-balling according to your tang preferences for the juice into your bowl. When done correctly, no seeds should be present inside the bowl, leaving you with a now lubricated, refreshing-looking salsa base.

4. Salt + Pepper to Taste: Add salt and pepper according to your preferences. It is best to taste as you season, especially if you prefer to use a lot more than is typically seen in one of these recipes. Create your own balance between sweet and salty!

5. Serve with Protein or Nachos of Choice: Congrats, you’ve made your own salsa! Now serve it with your favourite nachos, chicken or fish, or even crisping a tortilla to carry on with the gourmet style creations. The possibilities are endless so get creative!

6. Enjoy: Remember to savour the sweet and salty goodness. Read below for health benefits that will without a doubt convince you to try this recipe out if you’ve been on the fence about it.

Health Benefits of Mangoes

Mangoes are masterfully high in vitamins and minerals. Particularly, they are high in vitamin C, helping aid in balanced iron levels, and absorption of critical nutrients essential for all over bodily health. One singular mango provides someone with 100% of their daily vitamin C intake (making supplementing frankly unnecessary unless extremely deficient). That is why this recipe aims to strike the perfect balance of macro and micro nutrients so you will not have to worry about an excess of something not-so-good for your health. (Smith, 2023) [1].

Mangoes contain a plethora of digestive enzymes, including amylases, promoting the body in processing natural carbohydrates into sugar to aid in digestion. They also contain adequate fibre, with one mango packing up to 2.6 grams, helping to ensure efficient and healthy bowel movements. (Gupta, 2021) [3].

Mangoes contribute to heart health due to their high concentration of potassium and magnesium. These minerals can help to foster a healthy heart rhythm in individuals suffering with cardiovascular disease. Additionally, mangoes are rich in polyphenols like mangiferin; further supporting cardiovascular disease and preventing the wrath of oxidative stress. (Khan, 2020) [4].

The polyphenols in mangoes, particularly mangiferin, help to prevent the onset of cancer in humans. Research suggests that the compounds contained in mangoes counteract the damage that can be done to strands of DNA that typically cancerously accumulate to form tumours; particularly in the breast and colon. (Johnson, 2022) [2].

Vitamins A and C, both commonly found within mangoes at high doses are credited with their preposterous benefits for hair and skin health. Vitamin A promotes the production of sebum, moisturizing the skin and hair follicles for softness and lush growth; while vitamin C produces collagen, necessary for the elasticity and youthful look brought to the accumulation of cells referred to as skin. (Smith, 2023) [1].

Mangoes are just packed with immune-boosting nutrients, such as vitamins A, C and E, as well as plenty of antioxidants to keep the list of health benefits going. These nutrients strengthen the immune system by neutralizing free radicals, warding off illness, and aiding in good bodily health in every sense of the word. (Smith, 2023) [1].

History and Significance

Mango salsa is a popular vibrant yet tropical condiment that reigns as culturally significant to a few countries in the mid-southern hemisphere. They are deeply rooted in the Southern American, and Caribbean food traditions, but have now taken on many renditions through influence from European Colonization, Indigenous Culture, and the trade of spices and fruits on a global scale.

The concept of ‘salsa’ meaning ‘sauce’ in Spanish, has in this case deviated from its origins when first created by the Aztecs and the Mayans of the Meso-American era. They were able to use tomatoes, chilis, and other local produce to formulate the original version of salsa. (Rodriguez, 2019) [5]. These salsas played an integral role in adding flavour to some of their food staples including but not limited to Maize, Tortillas, and Tamales.

Mangoes, however were not native to the Americas. They were first introduced into the region during the 16th century by Spanish settlers who brought the sweet and vitamin rich food in from southeast Asian countries like India. (Guzman, 2021) [6]. The tropical climate in the Carribean combined with the fruits’ sweet and decadent tendencies fostered the perfect growing opportunity for this fruit in the Mid-South American regions. The fruit then exploded in popularity, becoming the perfect addition to staple foods.

Hands holding delicious mango in tropical rainforest

The fusion of Indigenous salsa recipes combined with the new found love for Mango fruit resulted in a marriage between the two, successfully birthing Mango Salsa as a result. This blend reflected the broader influences of European Colonization, combined with influences from the Modern, as well as the Old World

Mango Salsa represents more than just a flavourful dish; its a symbol of the fusion and adaptability brought upon through several cultural influences resulting in the pinnacle of a delicious recipe for the masses to consume. The dish embodies traditional American cooking techniques with several influences from European, Asian, and most importantly South American countries and methods to make it an all-encompassing recipe. As Mangoes became increasingly entangled into local culture and cuisine, it is no surprise that it was paired with tangy and spicy ingredients such as red onion, parsely, tangy citrus juice, chiles, seasonings etc. (Perez, 2020) [7].

FunTips – Mango Salsa 101

Choosing the Right Mango: Ensure that your mango is perfectly ripe before use. To test this, press down on the skin to see if it gives a little. If it does, it is ready for use and should be sweet and delicious when consumed. If not, let the fruit sit at room temperature for about a day before preparing this recipe for the best possible outcome!

Perfect Your Mango Dicing Routine: To get those perfect, uniform diced mango slices, start by cutting the cheeks off of your whole mango. From here, slice in a grid pattern with just enough force that you don’t break through the skin at the back. Flip the cheek inside out, and the cubes should pop out easily!

Add a Twist with Different Peppers: Not included in this recipe due to varying spice tolerance among certain individuals. However, jalapenos, seranos, or poblano deliver a rich, smoky, yet spicy taste that compliments the sweet and tanginess already present in your salsa. Be careful; test your hot pepper before using it to ensure that it is right for you.

Freshness Matters: Opt for the real citrus fruit rather than its bottled, citrus y counterpart. This can look like a lemon or lime, ripe and rolled out on your counter top before use; to release more juice! (hey that rhymed) :0

Balancing Act: If your salsa turns out to be too salty for your liking, add a drizzle of honey or agave to gently sweeten it. On the other hand, if the opposite happens and your finished product is too sweet, opt for some more lemon or lime juice, perhaps some more salt and pepper. Balance is key!

Enjoy your incredible Mango Salsa on its own, or as a topping for your favourite fish, tacos, stews, or nacho plates. Along with the vitamin and mineral content, this recipe packs a punch of various flavours, complimenting each other profoundly. Your sweet or salty craving can be combated to ensure optimal nutrition and satisfaction benefits. Now that you know the benefits, there are no excuses to passing up on one of these fun loving creations!

Citations

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