This recipe originally appeared on the Muy Bueno Cookbook blog, which I publish with my mother and sister.

The warm weather is a long ways away and there is nothing I enjoy more than frolicking in the sun and less time in the kitchen, at the hot stove or oven. In the summer I love to experiment with refreshing and easy meals and sides that require no cooking such as our ceviche and black bean salad.

This salad is a nice change from the standard green salad. It’s perfect for a picnic, potluck, or on the buffet table at your next fiesta. This salad has a fresh crunch and spicy kick. This refreshing side dish incorporates chopped mango, jicama, cucumber, freshly squeezed lime juice, and a dash of salt and spice. The longer the salad sits, the more flavorful it becomes. A perfect complement to any dish on a sunny day.

I often buy the fruit and snack seasoning chile powder sold at our local Mexican grocery store which has ground chile peppers, salt, and dehydrated lime juice. If you have access to this type of product I highly recommend it. The seasoning reminds me of growing up in El Paso and driving to the border of Juarez, Mexico to take my sister to the orthodontist. While my sister was being tortured my mom and I would walk to the nearest street vendor and we would order mangos on a stick with chile powder. I’m guessing this wouldn’t have been the easiest treat for my sister to eat with her braces so my mom and I would go a la escondiditas (secretly). I’m sorry sister – I hope you are not mad. Oh the memory just makes my mouth water. All of these fruits and vegetables go great with chile powder and lime so it is only natural to combine them all together.
INGREDIENTS:

2 yellow small mangos, peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes
2 red/green mangos, peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes
1 medium jicama, peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut into ½ inch cubes
dash of cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon chile powder or fruit and snack seasoning
2-3 tablespoons lime juice
Salt to taste
DIRECTIONS:

In a mixing bowl combine the mango, jicama, cucumbers, chile, lime juice, and salt.
Toss well, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.