Recipe: Mango Salad, Cherry Tomato, Long Bean, and Tamarind

the appetizer:

Prepare exotic meals for friends and family with Asian Flavors of Jean-Georges by Jean-Georges Vongerichten. Recipes include Mango Salad, Cherry Tomato, Long Bean, and Tamarind; Steamed Lobster with Garlic-Ginger-Basil Sauce; and Water Chestnuts, Sugar Snap Peas, and Shiitakes.

Mango Salad, Cherry Tomato,
Long Bean, and Tamarind

Makes 4 servings

Mango salad can be found on countless street corners in Bangkok. The first time I ate it, it knocked me out. It features all the flavors you most commonly associate with Thai cuisine: hot, sour, salty, sweet, bitter.

My super-complex version is worth the effort. In the traditional salad, everything is raw, but we char the beans for more depth. This dressing is also sensational, and any leftover can be kept, refrigerated, for a day or so (the garlic oil will keep up to a week). Tamarind candy (sold at most Asian markets) adds even more complexity.

1/4 cup plus 1-1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons finely ground palm sugar
1/2 teaspoon nam pla (Thai fish sauce)
1 teaspoon tamarind paste
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
One 1/2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
1 dried Thai chile, finely ground
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 cup cashews
1 teaspoon grape seed, corn, or other neutral oil
4 Chinese long beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 small green mango, peeled, pitted, and julienned
2 small ripe mangoes, peeled, pitted, and julienned
3 tablespoons tamarind candy, torn into small pieces
1 cup trimmed bean sprouts
24 Toy Box tomatoes, a colorful mix of cherry, pear, and
other small tomatoes, halved
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 head iceberg lettuce, quartered

1. Put the first 7 ingredients and 3 tablespoons water in a blender and blend until smooth. With the machine running, add the olive oil in a slow, steady stream. Blend until the mixture is completely emulsified. Set aside.

2. Put the cashews in a small skillet over medium heat. Toast, shaking the pan occasionally, until fragrant and browned. Remove from heat, cool, and roughly chop.

3. Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the long beans and cook, stirring occasionally, until charred and wrinkled, about 7 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.

4. Add the mangoes, tamarind candy, bean sprouts, tomatoes, cilantro, and cashews. Season lightly with salt and toss in the dressing. Put the lettuce wedges and a mound of salad on the serving plates.