I’ve just planted my deck garden. I love to plant less common or more expensive hot peppers that are not as likely to be 
found in grocery stores. I particularly enjoy super chilis and thai dragons. In celebration of this and my recent reintroduction of raw plant carbohydrates, I wanted to share my mango salsa recipe. Either of the peppers I mentioned are a zippy substitute for the habañeros I used this time. It’s not for everyone, but it’s super healthy. I’ve found the bold combinations of spicy, sour and natural sweetness liven the palate and help overcome urges for junk food.
You only need 7 ingredients:
- 2 mangoes (mid-ripe, not hard, not soft and runny)
- 8 apples (I love pink ladies for this recipe)
- 5 lemons
- 1-4 habañeros
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon salt
I recommend a food processor. I’ve never tried hand-chopping everything, but it would take a lot longer and not get the desired consistency. Useful but not necessary: juicer for the lemons, slicer for the apples, potato peeler for the mangoes.
Do the peppers first. If you’ve never worked with very hot peppers before, remember that they can be a little dangerous. Work in a well-ventilated space. Don’t get the juice on your skin. Gloves are helpful.
Remove the tops and extract the seeds – that’s where most of the heat is. Rinse the peppers inside and out in COLD water – warmer water can create a cloud like pepper spray. Pour the salt evenly into each pepper, place them in a small cup and add the vinegar. Let it cure for at least an hour. Longer cure time (and of course fewer peppers) will reduce the burn of the final product. You can prep the other ingredients while you wait.
Juice the lemons. Watch out for seeds. Get them all out so they don’t damage the food processor or crack a tooth. I like to get a good amount of pulp with the juice, really brightens the flavor.
Peel the mangoes. Extract the flesh discarding the nuts. Then slice the apples. I suggest leaving the apple skin on. It improves the texture giving the final product a little crispiness.
My processor needs two runs to fit everything. If you find the same, evenly distribute all of the ingredients – including the cumin. It’s definitely good to not have all of the liquid elements in the same run, can be a big mess. Blend thoroughly.
The salsa should be perfect for scooping up with chips. I also use it as a salad topping, Mexican food condiment and just eat it with carrot sticks. This recipe probably serves 6 to 10. I love to make it for football games with my harvest in the fall. The guys don’t even know I’m giving them health food. Salt, lemon and vinegar are natural preservatives, but I wouldn’t push the shelf life beyond a week. Keep refrigerated. Enjoy.