Chilled Cambodian Green Mango Salad with Peanuts, Herbs and Lime

Whisk the fish sauce, lime juice and palm sugar together until the sugar fully dissolves into a glossy dressing.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 3 firm green mangoes, peeled and julienned
• 1 carrot, julienned
• 1/2 red onion, very thinly sliced
• 1 cup fresh mint leaves
• 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/2 cup Thai basil leaves
• 1/2 cup roasted peanuts, crushed
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons palm sugar
• 1 red chili, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

Instructions

1. Whisk the fish sauce, lime juice and palm sugar together until the sugar fully dissolves into a glossy dressing.
2. Stir the minced garlic and sliced chili into the dressing and let it sit for ten minutes so the flavors bloom.
3. Soak the sliced red onion in cold water for five minutes, then drain well to soften its bite.
4. Combine the julienned green mango and carrot in a large bowl and chill for fifteen minutes.
5. Pour the dressing over the mango and carrot and toss thoroughly with your hands so every strand is coated.
6. Add the drained onion along with the mint, cilantro and Thai basil, tossing gently to keep the herbs intact.
7. Let the salad rest for five minutes so the mango softens slightly and absorbs the dressing.
8. Pile the salad onto a platter and shower the crushed peanuts over the top just before serving so they stay crisp.
9. Green mango salad appears across Cambodia as nhoam svay, a market-stall staple that answers the country's punishing heat with sourness, salt and crunch rather than spice alone. Unripe mango carries a tartness that ripe fruit never develops, and paired with fish sauce, palm sugar and a fistful of herbs it becomes a no-cook lunch that genuinely cools you down.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 260 kcal
• Protein: 8g
• Fat: 11g
• Carbohydrates: 36g
• Fiber: 6g
• Sugar: 24g
• Sodium: 890mg