A tropical spring break (Pt. 1)

There is the Marae,  Philadelphia Museum of Art, image courtesy of Artchive.com

This week is my spring break, so I'm imagining myself to be far away from my Brooklyn apartment, in a French controlled island in the Pacific.  It's the kind of place that Gauguin painted: almost neon colors and, like Gauguin, I am convincing myself that the flora and fauna are untouched by man. 

So, for dinner tonight, I've prepared something exotic and non-specifically Pacific.

For the first installment...

Mango Salad
1 medium cucumber, peeled
1 large mango, peeled (Make sure the mango is not too ripe, as you want it to be fairly firm)
1 carrot, shredded
3 scallions
1 handful cilantro and basil


Dressing:
1 tsp sriracha
2 tbsps fresh lime juice
2 tbsps fish sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar

1. Slice cucumber lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Slice into three inch long sections (you should have 5-6). Slice these sections lengthwise, and then slice the pieces again into somewhere between batons and matchsticks.

2. Do the same with the mango, remembering to use the flat pit to your advantage. (I eat the extras right off the pit. Yes, every time. Does that really surprise you?)

3. Slice scallions into rounds.

4. Toss cukes, scallions and mango into a bowl with the shredded carrot.

5. Chiffonade basil and pull whole cilantro leaves off the stem. Add to the top of the mixture. 

6. Mix dressing ingredients, dress salad lightly, and eat! 

 Clearly, that is what happened here.  I only got a shot of the second to last bite...