Mango and Black Bean Salsa

Not your father's salsa. People invariably ask for the recipe when I serve it.

  • 1 to 2 large ripe mangoes or about 3 cups canned mangoes, diced
  • 1 cup cooked black beans
  • 3 scallions, finely chopped
  • 1 minced and seeded habañero pepper, or more to taste (for a hotter salsa, leave the seeds in; 2 jalapeño chiles can be substituted but they will not be as hot and they will not have the characteristic smoky taste of the habañero)
  • 2 tsp. minced fresh ginger
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint or cilantro
  • 2 to 3 Tbsp. fresh lime juice, or to taste
  • 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Peel the mangoes and cut the flesh off the flat seed. Cut the mango into 1/4-inch dice. Combine all the ingredients for the salsa in a bowl and gently toss to mix. If you use canned mangoes, you may wish to leave out all or most of the sugar. Add additional sugar, lime juice or salt as necessary to obtain a balanced flavor. This salsa tastes best served within one hour of mixing.

It's vital to use ripe mangoes for the salsa, ones that are slightly soft to the touch and that smell good. Color is not a good indicator of ripeness. Mangoes can be ripened by storing them in a paper bag, unrefrigerated, for a few days.

4 servings

Per serving: 132 calories; 4g protein; 4g fat (1g saturated fat); 20g carbohydrate; 0mg cholesterol; 64mg sodium

Source: Washington Post

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