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Thai Crab-and-Green-Mango Salad
© John Kernick

Thai Crab-and-Green-Mango Salad

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  • ACTIVE:
  • TOTAL TIME: 1 HR
  • SERVINGS: 6
  • •HEALTHY

To create completely satisfying dishes, Thai cooks aim for a mix of sweet, salty, sour and bitter flavors. In his salad, chef Laurent Tourondel of the BLT Steak empire achieves that alluring combination by tossing tart green mango with cucumbers, a myriad of fresh herbs, a vibrant Thai dressing and plenty of delicate, sweet crabmeat.

  1. 1 cup rice vinegar
  2. 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
  3. 2 garlic cloves, minced
  4. 2 Thai red chiles, minced
  5. 3 carrots, finely julienned
  6. 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
  7. 1/4 cup fresh tangerine juice
  8. 1 shallot, minced
  9. 2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
  10. 1/2 teaspoon sambal oelek or other Asian hot sauce (optional)
  11. 1/3 cup water
  12. 2 large green mangos (about 1 pound each), peeled and finely julienned
  13. 2 seedless cucumbers—peeled, seeded and finely julienned
  14. Two 6-ounce bunches watercress, thick stems discarded
  15. 1/2 cup shredded basil leaves
  16. 1/3 cup coarsely chopped mint
  17. 1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
  18. 1 pound jumbo lump crab
  19. 3 scallions, green parts only, thinly sliced
  1. In a medium bowl, combine the vinegar with 1/4 cup of the sugar and half of the garlic and chiles. Add the carrots and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.
  2. Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the lime and tangerine juices, shallot, fish sauce, sambal oelek and water. Stir in the remaining garlic, chiles and 1 tablespoon of sugar.
  3. In a very large bowl, combine the green mango, cucumbers, watercress, basil, mint and cilantro. Drain the carrots, shaking off the excess liquid, and add them to the bowl. Add the dressing and toss well. Transfer the salad to plates and mound the crab on top. Garnish with the scallions and serve.
Notes One Serving 260 cal, 2 gm fat, 0 gm sat fat, 31 gm carb, 4 gm fiber, 30 gm protein, 790 mg sodium.

Suggested Pairing

Off-dry Riesling is the answer for many spicy recipes; but for salads like this one—more tart and sweet than fiery—choose a dry bottling. Western Australia has become a great source for such wines in recent years.