Bring along a healthier take on a party favorite. The Asian mango salsa has a kick that will keep your friends coming back for more, wiping the bowl clean once they finish all your homemade chips.
For you, the first thing that comes to mind when you think “salsa” is chips. For me, “salsa” immediately sends me back about five years, to dancing next to a bonfire on the beach in Costa Rica. After that I think of chips.
That night the heat of the fire offset the cool breeze. I grabbed a partner and, along with some others from the Passover program my family was on, watched how it was done. Then, with the ocean waves as our soundtrack, we stumbled our way through a decidedly clumsy rendition of the salsa. That experience– letting go of insecurities, laughing at my two left feet, and remaining a pretty awful salsa dancer– stayed with me more than any other part of the trip.
Okay, fine, make that one of my top three memories from Costa Rica. I’d be lying if I claimed not to remember the monkeys that know how to unzip backpacks or how incredible all of the food tasted. Thinking about the fresh fruit alone is enough to make my mouth water, even all these years later.
Know what else makes my mouth water? This Asian mango salsa.
There I stood, a bag full of mini sweet peppers in hand and no idea what to do with them. But…. when in doubt, roast it out. And try to have patience. It’s hard, I know, but the slightly charred edges are the greatest part of roasting vegetables. They say a watched pot never boils, but I couldn’t keep my eyes away. It was worth the wait just for the smell that wafted out of the oven when I took out the peppers.
Finally. Patience may be a virtue, but it has no place between vegetables and me.
The hardest part is over! Pull out that big red button from Staples now and give yourself a pat on the back. None of that “I walked uphill both ways” business for us. In fact, we’re taking simple food one step further and foregoing any and all fancy knife action here. Time to dust off the food processor instead. Just throw in the peppers, mango, garlic and scallions. After that the only thing left to do is decide how chunky you like your salsa.
Like the big red button says– that was easy.
By now you’re sold on this Asian mango salsa idea, but what would salsa be without chips? Blasphemy! A month ago I would have shrugged my shoulders, content to put salsa on salads while you munched away on chips. I was okay with the fact that chips didn’t really do it for me. Ask me today, though, and you’ll be hearing from a horse of an entirely different color. It took serious self restraint not to finish these chips before getting at least a few good pictures.
Go ahead, pick a tortilla. Any tortilla. Okay now put it back on top of the pile. (Heh heh heh. Just checking you’re still paying attention.)
I used this Flatzza from Angelic Bakehouse. It’s made of sprouted whole grains, and you know how much I like all things sprouted. More sprouted goodies include these biscotti, this zucchini bread, and in the base of this feta cheese sandwich. You can make this more unique by adding spices before baking, or buying a flavored tortilla from the store. Keep in mind, though, baking times will depend on which one you decide to use, which means that it’s up to you to keep eyes and nose attentive for signs of burning.
You’ll never have to buy chips and dip again and you’ll be in high demand at parties. Sounds like a sweet deal to me.
If you try this recipe, I’d love your feedback. Leave a comment below, check it out on Facebook, save it on Pinterest, or tag #lensesandlentils on Instagram to share!
- FOR SALSA:
- 15 sweet baby peppers
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small mango, chopped (~1/2 cup)
- 1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce*
- 1½ tsp minced garlic
- ½ tsp ginger powder
- ¼ tsp chili powder
- ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
- ¼ cup sliced scallions, white/light green parts only
- sea salt, to taste
- FOR TORTILLA CHIPS:
- 1 12-inch flatbread/tortilla
- 1 tsp olive oil
- sea salt
- TO MAKE THE CHIPS: Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Cut the tortilla in whatever shapes you like. Toss to coat with oil and spread on baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt.
- Bake for 20-23 minutes. Broil for 1-2 minutes, watching carefully to make sure it doesn't burn. Leave oven on broil if making salsa at the same time.
- Store in an airtight bag or container at room temperature.
- TO MAKE THE SALSA: Cut the peppers in half and remove seeds and stems. Coat with oil and spread skin-side up in a single layer on baking sheet. Broil for 10 minutes.
- Put remaining ingredients in food processor, fitted with the S-blade. Then, once the peppers are done, let cool for a few minutes, then add with everything else.
- Pulse to desired consistency. Adjust seasonings to taste.
- Store salsa in an airtight container in the fridge for 1 week.
