MANGOES WITH CHILE AND LIME

(Mangoes con Chile y Limón)

Even the tiniest, dustiest streets in Mexico will have a local vendor with a cart piled high with fresh fruits. The señor will cut the fruit for you fresh, douse it with lime juice, and sprinkle some salt and plenty of pure ground chile to make your mouth pucker and water. I love how the sweet fragrance of the mango plays on your tongue with the spice and sour lime.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS (unless you’re a mango hog like me!)

1 dried pasilla or ancho chile, seeded and stemmed (see Note)

2 ripe mangoes 1 or 2 lime(s)

Salt

In a spice grinder or coffee mill, process the dried chile until it becomes a medium-fine powder.

Peel and seed the mangoes and cut them into strips or cubes. Arrange in four separate bowls or on plates.

Grate a bit of lime zest over the mangoes. Then, quarter a lime and squeeze the juice over the mangoes. Sprinkle with a little bit of salt and the powdered chile.

If you want, cut the second lime into slices or wedges and serve on the side for garnish and extra squeezing.

NOTE: You can buy pure ground chile or premade lime and powdered chile mixes (don’t confuse it with chili powder, though, which often has cumin, onion, and garlic powder and other spices mixed in), but I prefer the flavor and aroma of the freshly ground puro chile.

VARIATIONS: Although I’m providing this recipe with mangoes, you can really make fruta picada with any combination of seasonal fruits. Papaya, watermelon, honeydew, cantaloupe, pineapple, apple, orange, and fresh coconut make good options. You can also do the same thing with strips of peeled cucumbers and jícama.