Thai Mango Salad with Grilled Shrimp

I feel it when I first wake up. I don't need to hear the local weatherman announce it on the radio, and there's no need for the meteorologist on the television to throw magnetic images of the sun up on the weather board. It's immediately obvious when I leave my bedroom and feel the power of her rays rush through the window and press up against my skin. My eyes squint to foil her advances.


I step into the kitchen and watch the early morning haze jump off the ground outside. It`s going to be hot. No wait, it already is. Welcome to spring, disguised as summer. It's the new seasonal norm. And this is only the beginning.  

The air conditioner in our house fools me into believing that it's cooler outside than it actually is. It lends me a false sense of security and sets me up for failure. I walk out through the front door to face the world dressed in pants and a long-sleeved shirt, and I immediately roll up my sleeves before the light cotton fabric sticks to me like glue. It's early June and I'm ready for the hottest summer in a hundred years.

I sit in my car and roll down the windows, momentarily forgetful of how hot it is outside. I turn my A.C. to max and and pray that it works quicker than it ever has before. The entire time I`m melting at the thought of an entire day spent outdoors and dreaming of something light and refreshing when I get home. Sadly, I haven`t even left my driveway.

These are the days I was warned about. Growing up in a country with long and sometimes harsh winters, I should be happy when it`s hot outside and the heat alerts come fast and often. I should be, but I`m not. Every first step outside feels like a warm slap in the face. The hot air seems to grab on tight and cling. It's like suffocation by the hands of the weather gods.

I think back to some hot days when I was younger and trips to the local Thai restaurant up the street from where I lived. We`d walk in and be greeted by the chef/owner working away in the open kitchen up the stairs from the entrance. The topic of the heat wave would come up and she would immediately recommend her prawn & mango salad. With that first bite it felt like I was jumping off a cottage dock and straight into a lake full of water.

It was the combination of the juicy, sweet mangoes and cilantro citrus vinaigrette that first cooled me down. The flavours make an immediate impact and work to wash over you from the inside out. The best part of all, the salad was really good. Memorable enough to recreate it all these years later.

On days like we've been experiencing lately, I pull back into the driveway at the end of the day and sit inside my car with the cool air reminding me where my safe spot is. I stare at the door afraid of the steps that stand between me and my house. And I make my move.

I come through the front door of my home with the weather outside now behind me. I thought. My wife asks if I want to eat outside at the table in the yard. We're limited to a few really good months so it's hard to say no. At least I can make this mango & prawn salad  and remember the affect it had on me during those hot summer nights years ago. 

From my kitchen to yours, happy eating! 

Thai Mango Salad with Grilled Shrimp

The Goods:

• 12 large tiger prawns
• 4 rosemary sprigs for skewers
• 1 tbsp. fresh ginger, grated
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 1 lime, zested
• 3 tbsp. Extra Virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 tbsp. honey
• drizzle of olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 green chilli,deseeded and finely sliced
• 2 ripe mango, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1/2 large cucumber, roughly chopped
• 1/2 large orange pepper, thinly sliced
• 2 small shallots, thinly sliced
• small handful of fresh cilantro
• pinch of sea salt

Prep:

1. Remove three-quarters of the rosemary leaves and slide 3 shrimp on each sprig.
2. Add the next 9 ingredients to a bowl and mix. Reserve half for the dressing and use the rest for the shrimp on the bbq. Grill the shrimp over medium high heat for 3 minutes per side, or until browned with grill marks. Brush the sauce over top of each side.
3. Take the slices of mango and pour over the reserved liquid. Add in the cucumber, orange pepper, shallots, green chilli and a handful of chopped cilantro, mix and season.
4. Plate the mango salad and add in the grilled shrimp over top.
5. Serves 2.