Thai Crab and Mango Salad

This fresh salad comes from a new magazine, Fresh Juice:  Healthy Made Delicious.  Flipping through the pages, my eyes were drawn to this recipe and I think this is my new favorite salad.  It was easy to make and delicious!  I made a few changes and you can do the same according to what your taste preferences are.  I just can't wait to have my girlfriends over for this salad! 

 Ingredients

2 Tb. vegetable oil

1/4 cup thinly sliced shallots (I used regular onions)

2 Tb. lime juice

4 tsp. fish sauce *

1/2 tsp. finely grated fresh ginger

1 firm semi-ripe mango, peeled and julienned

2 cups cooked crabmeat, drained (about 7oz,/200g)

1/2 cup julienned sweet red pepper

1/2 cup julienned sweet onion

2-6 Thai bird's-eye peppers, finely chopped (I skipped this due to the heat and added a yellow pepper)

3 Tb. chopped fresh mint

3 Tb. chopped fresh cilantro (can leave this out if you don't like it)

3 Tb. coarsely ground roasted peanuts (whir roasted whole peanuts in food processor)

* You can find fish sauce in the asian section of your local grocery store.  A good sized bottle sells for just under $3.  If you have some in your fridge like I did, check the expiry.  Mine had long since expired and the colour of the sauce had darkened significantly, so I replaced it.

Method

1.  Heat oil over medium heat; saute shallots until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Set aside

2.  Whisk together lime juice, fish sauce and ginger.  Mix in mango, crabmeat, red pepper, onion and Thai peppers.  Toss in chopped mint and cilantro.

3.  Serve topped with sauteed shallots, peanuts and mint and cilantro sprigs.