Cucumber and Mango Salsa

If I told you how often we make tacos in our house you would laugh at me. I swear!! I love them! What’s not to love though? Basically, you put anything into a tortilla with some cheese and salsa and you instantly have a dinner that looks like you put a lot of effort into it.

One thing I usually buy from the store is the salsa. There are so many good ones out there, but when I make it from scratch I am reminded just how much better it is when it’s fresh. If you can use produce that is in season for your salsa, even better.

The mix and sweet and savory in this recipe is the whole reason I love mango salsa. Mango mixed with tajin (aka a blend of chili peppers, lime, and sea salt) is a match made in heaven. It’s the perfect balance of flavors. Also, I’m sure that I sound like a weirdo telling you to put cucumbers in your salsa but a lot of people put in jicama or something with a nice (and fresh) crunch. I always have cucumbers around, since it’s a veggie my kids will actually eat, and it’s really good in salsa…believe it or not!

Tips for Cucumber and Mango Salsa

*I like to use an English cucumber because it’s less watery and you don’t have to peel it. I also like Persian cucumbers but since they are small you would need two or three of them for the recipe.

*Tajin!! If you haven’t tried it, now is the time! In Los Angeles, this is served with fresh fruit at restaurants and also sold by street vendors. I like to use it as a rim on margaritas too! It has a mild chili spice flavor and a nice tartness from the lime. If you do not have this at your store, you can use a little bit of dried chili spice and maybe even add some lime and lime zest as a replacement.

*The good thing about salsa is that you can customize it the way you like it. If you don’t want it to be spicy then leave out the jalapeno. If you love spice, make sure to keep the jalapeno seeds in the mix.

*I LOVE cilantro. Either you love it or hate it! If you hate it then use some flat-leaf parsley. It will work just as well. Since I like it so much I add a lot, but you can always add less.

*Make sure to use fresh mango for this. You can potentially use frozen, but I haven’t tried that yet. If you want to give it a shot, just be sure to allow it to defrost slowly otherwise it will make the salsa watery.

*This can be made one day in advance.

Ingredients:

1 ripe mango cut into cubes 

1/2 cup finely chopped red onion (about 1 small red onion or half of a large)

1/2-3/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro

1 large English cucumber

1/2 jalapeño; optional 

1 heaping cup chopped tomato 

1-2 teaspoons tajin spice (it’s a blend of chili peppers, lime and sea salt); add as much or as little as you like

1 lemon

olive oil 

salt and pepper 

Directions:

Cut the cucumber by first cutting off the two ends and then cut it in half.

Then, cut the cucumber in half and use a spoon to remove the seeds.

Cut the cucumber into small cubes.

In a large bowl combine the mango, red onion, cilantro, cucumber, jalapeno, tomato, tajin, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.

Drizzle in about 1 tablespoon or so of olive oil and squeeze in 1/2 of a lemon.

Use a spoon to toss everything together.

Adjust the spices, salt, olive oil, and lemon as needed. This will vary based on how you like your salsa.

Serve with Chips!