Mango, corn and peanut salad: A sweet, smoky and crunchy side for your summer table

If Indian chaat met a Thai mango salad, this fruity dish would be the delightful result. Sweet, tart, crunchy and bursting with a whole host of summer flavours, it makes the ideal side for any picnic or BBQ. 

I recommend cooking the corn until it’s covered in charred bits, which imparts a smoky flavour that’s so perfect for the season. Want to prepare this dish in advance? Simply store the dressing, salad and peanuts separately to ensure everything stays crunchy.

Ingredients

Salad:

• 3 ears of corn (or 400 g frozen corn kernels)
• 1 tsp olive or neutral oil
• 3 ripe mangos, peeled and chopped
• 3 scallions, finely chopped
• 2 jalapenos, deseeded and finely chopped
• ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup roasted and chopped peanuts

Dressing:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1½ tsp tamarind paste
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp cumin powder

Garnish:

• 2 tbsp chopped cilantro

Preparation

If using fresh corn, husk the ears of corn and carefully remove the kernels. Heat a wide skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil. When sizzling, add the corn kernels and toss to coat. Spread the corn out in a single layer across the skillet and let it cook undisturbed for 3 minutes. Stir, then cook undisturbed for another 2 to 3 minutes, allowing the corn to char slightly. Continue cooking for another 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the corn becomes charred all over. Remove the corn from the heat and transfer it to a large bowl to cool. 

While the corn is cooking, prepare the dressing: add all the ingredients to a mason jar and shake until well combined. If the dressing is too thick, you can add a tablespoon of water to thin it out.

Once the corn has cooled, add the mango, scallions, jalapenos, cherry tomatoes and half of the chopped peanuts to the bowl, then pour in the dressing and toss everything together to combine.

Garnish with cilantro and the remaining peanuts. Enjoy!

Serves 4 to 6

Produced in collaboration with CBC Creator Network.