Mango and Corn Salad

I love corn and can eat it in any form; grilled corn on the cob, boiled corn on the cob, roasted corn kernels, sauteed corn kernels, corn salad, corn fritters, corn vada… you get the idea! Of all the corn varieties of food, grilled corn on the cob with chili garlic butter sauce being my favorite.

Last week, when I was searching for summer salads for this marathon, I stumbled upon a recipe on Better Homes & Garden. I glanced thru the recipe and knew right away this is my kind of salad; mango & corn grilled and tossed with a curry vinaigrette. I tweaked the recipe to suite my palate. I substituted arugula with spring mix greens. I used a green mango as I wanted a little sweet and tangy flavor in the salad. My raw mango was not very sour and gave a perfect sweet & sour flavor to the salad. I also skipped the sugar in the dressing. As expected, the salad was delicious and reminded me of American sweet corn with curry flavor that is sold in many movie theaters and eatery places in India, at least in Hyderabad.

Adapted from: Better Homes & Garden
Total Time: 10 - 20 minutes
Preparation: 5 - 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 5 - 10 minutes
Serves: 1 for a light meal

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of fresh Corn Kernels (that is 1 corn)
• ½ cup Mango cubes (I used ½ green raw mango)
• ½ small Red Onion
• ½ tsp. Oil (¼ tsp. for grilling corn & other ¼ for mango & onions)
• 1 cup Salad Greens (I used pre-washed Spring Mix pack)

Dressing:

• ⅛ tsp. Black Pepper Powder (adjust to taste)
• ⅛ tsp. Curry Powder (I used Hot Madras Curry powder)
• ⅛ tsp. Salt (adjust to taste)
• 1 tsp. Lime Juice (I used real lime)
• 1 tsp. Olive Oil

Preparation:

• Cut the kernels from the cob.
• Heat pan, add corn kernels and ¼th tsp. oil and roast the corn for 3-4 minutes until the kernels are roasted and turn brown. I roasted them on high for 2 minutes and then reduce the heat. You can roast them on high flame but be careful your fire alarm doesn’t go off. Transfer the corn to a bowl and keep the pan to roast the mango & onion.
• Peel the mango and cut it into ½” – 1” cubes. I cut them to 1” cubes but felt I should have cut them smaller.
• Dice the onions into cubes.
• In the same pan used to roast the corn, add the mango & onion pieces, ¼ tsp. of the oil and roast for a minute or two minutes until they are roasted. Transfer to a separate bowl & keep aside.
• Prepare the dressing by mixing together black pepper, salt, curry powder & lime juice. Add oil continuing to mix the dressing.
• In a big bowl take the greens, a little dressing and toss them well. Then add the mango, onion, little bit of the dressing and toss it again. Finally add the corn, rest of the dressing and toss the salad well.
• Serve immediately.

Note: For grilling the corn, mangoes & onion on a grill, check the original recipe. I felt roasting them on the stove top was faster than grilling it in the oven. I do not have an out door grill so stove top grilling was my preference.

Recipes post this day in 2008: Roasted corn kernels in garlic butter