Jicama Salad. NOM NOM NOM.

Image from simplyrecipes.com They julienned the jicama. I don’t know how to do that, so mine didn’t look quite this good.
But I just like to say “julienned the jicama.”

I pretty much always follow a recipe to the letter. I very rarely freestyle. This has set me up for considerable mockery over the years. “Oh noes! This recipe calls for Gold Medal flour, and all we have is Pillsbury!” You get the idea.

Originally I got this recipe from the Simply Recipes website. Made it several times for various events, of course following the recipe to the letter, to good reviews. The original recipe called for a cut-up orange, cayenne pepper, and paprika.The orange was a good addition but the cayenne overpowered the other flavors, and the paprika made it all look like a  bowlful of Cheetos.

So I got inspired, mostly through the example of Kimberly from Poor Girl Eats Well. Yes, it’s true; I actually strayed from the recipe. (“Borrrnn to be wiiiiiiiillld….”) She introduced me to the amazing combination of mango, cumin, and cilantro.

Image from walmart.com

I used canned mango slices. Maybe that’s blasphemy. But peeling the mango and the jicama are both time-consuming; doing both would have taken all damn day. Interestingly, though, a fresh mango is easier to find here in my small Lake Wobegon town than canned slices. Dried mango is fairly easy to locate too. Even jicama. Go figure.

Here’s how, mostly via Simply Recipes:

• 1 large jicama (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled and cubed (Julienne or shred it if you feel like it. I don’t. Just peeling the damn thing is enough of a PITA.)
• 1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper, finely diced
• 1/2 green bell pepper, finely diced
• 1/2 cup red onion, chopped
• 1/2 large cucumber, seeded, and chopped
• 1/2 mango, peeled, seeded, and cubed (Slices if that’s what’s available. About 3-4 slices.)
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1/3 cup lime juice (I use Rose’s Sweetened Lime Juice, the kind they use at the bar in daiquiris and whatnot. Any lime juice should work.)
• Pinch of ground cumin
• Salt (Kosher, and lots of it.)

Toss together the jicama, bell peppers, red onion, cucumber, mango, and cilantro in a large serving bowl.

Pour lime juice over all. Sprinkle with a pinch of cumin. Season generously with salt. Let sit a half-hour before serving.

There’s something about how the mango, cumin, and cilantro meld that just rocks. I brought it to a potluck at the office – it didn’t go over like I’d hoped – but those who liked it really liked it and asked for the recipe. No worries: that much more for me.

NOM NOM NOM.