Thai Mango Carrot Salad with Lotus Root
A refreshing and Asian-inspired salad made with fresh mango, carrots, daikon radish, and lotus root - tossed in a citrus vinaigrette. Garnish with fresh herbs, peanuts, and peppers.
Equipment
- food processor or spiralizer
Ingredients
Crispy Lotus Root and Shallots
- 8 ounces lotus root boiled and thinly sliced*
- 2 shallots thinly sliced, then roughly chopped
- 1 tsp avocado oil optional
Dressing
- 5 Tbsp fresh lime juice
- 2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 2 Tbsp agave syrup
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce coconut aminos, or tamari
- 1 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp chili garlic sauce
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
Salad
- 2-3 carrots peeled and spiralized or grated**
- 1 daikon radish peeled and spiralized or grated**
- 1 mango peeled, pitted, thinly sliced***
- 2 green onions thinly sliced
Garnish
- 2-3 sprigs fresh mint
- 2-3 sprigs basil
- 4-5 sprigs cilantro
- crispy lotus root above
- crispy shallot above
- sliced Thai chili peppers, jalapenos, green onions, lime wedges, chopped peanuts optional
Instructions
- Cook the lotus root slices. Option 1 - Preheat the oven to 400° F. Place the slices of lotus root on a lined baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, until golden and crisp. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.Option 2 - cook on the stovetop. Rinse and pat the lotus root slices dry. Heat a skillet on medium-high heat. Evenly place the slices of lotus root in the hot skillet. Allow to remain in place until golden underneath, about 6-8 minutes. Turnover and cook another 6-8 minutes, until lightly golden. Remove from the pan and allow to cool slightly.
- In a bowl, toss the shallots with 1 teaspoon avocado oil until evenly coated. Evenly scatter the shallots on a lined baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden. Stir after 10 minutes to ensure all pieces are browning evenly. Remove any brown pieces to avoid burning. Remove from oven and cool.
- Meanwhile, whisk together the Dressing ingredients. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, gently toss the Salad ingredients with the Dressing.
- This salad can be stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator up to three days.
- To serve, place a portion of the dressed salad onto a plate or bowl. Garnish with fresh herbs, crispy lotus root slices, crispy shallots, chopped peanuts, sliced chili peppers or jalapenos, sliced green onions, and lime wedges, as desired. Alternatively, chop up the herbs, then toss the salad with the green onions, peanuts, and chopped herbs. Garnish with jalapenos, peppers, and lime wedges.
Notes
* I used packaged boiled lotus root slices that I found in the refrigerator section of an Asian market. You can peel and boil the lotus root yourself if you have access to fresh lotus root.
** I highly recommend you spiralize or grate the carrots and radish. Packaged shredded carrots and radishes available in the grocery store can be rather thick and dry. Simply wash and peel your carrots and radish, cut off the ends, and grate your carrots and radishes using the thin blade on a spiralizer, box grater, food processor, or mandolin.
*** To prepare the mango, slice both ends, then remove the peel with a paring knife. Place the mango on the cutting board so that you can see the tip of the pit. Using the pit as a guide, slide the blade of a large knife over the pit. Turn the mango around and do the same on the other side. Then cut off any remaining flesh. Then lay the two large flat slices of mango on the cutting board. Carefully, run the knife through the center of the mango, running parallel to the cutting board. Then turn the knife as you normally slice and slice the mango in thin slices. Sounds trickier than it is. See the pictorial below.