I is for instant, Indian, inspired

For weeks my mother gave away the Indian mangoes the farmhand had been sending over. Then she tried one the other day and that was the end of the giveaways. Unfortunately, so was Indian mango season.

I like mango, but my taste for the fruit is what you’d call indiscriminate. As long as it’s the kind I’m after at the moment, I don’t care what variety it is, or even bother to find out. What I can say, however, is that I have yet to come across mango that tastes as good as it looks. Although that could be a self-perpetuating stereotype: I never buy mango that looks too perfect. Obviously I’m referring to the popular carabao variety (the sweetest in the world, according to the 1995 Guinness Book of Records), because Indian mango always look sappy. Is it any wonder my mother was so dismissive of them?

Having said that, I sometimes prefer the sweetness of Indian mango over carabao. It’s not as cloying, with just a faint hint of tart. On a lark, I added some to the cucumber salad Ma had requested for dinner (the cukes were also from the farm). It had been a long time since she’d declared anything I made unequivocally good, so I had to ask: “The presentation, or the taste?”

“Both,” she said. “You’re so needy.”

Remind me again who inspires me?

Cucumber & Mango Salad

For a salad that takes mere minutes to put together, it looks quite stunning. A mandoline slicer produces evenly thin ribbons, but a knife works just as well, if not as fast. To arrange, simply roll up the slices and stick here and there. To keep the crunch of the salad, add dressing only upon serving or the vinegar will “cook” the cucumber.

• 1 cucumber
• 1 semi-ripe Indian mango


• 3 tablespoons coconut vinegar
• 2 tablespoons warm water
• 1 tablespoon honey
• juice and zest of 2 kalamansi
• pinch of salt
• pinch of dried chili flakes

1. Slice cucumber and mango into thin ribbons, arrange in serving bowl, and keep refrigerated until serving.
2. Mix warm water and honey, then stir in the rest of the ingredients. For best results, refrigerate separately until using.