Sweet and Spicy Mangoes (Mango Chow)

When you grow up in a country like Guyana, you have to learn to be creative with snacking. While things are a bit different there these days, in my days, lots of American cookies and snack foods were either expensive or just not something that was ever available. This led to a unique set of homemade snacks and many of them involve the use of local fruit.

This sweet and spicy mango recipe is a very popular snack and street food. It is called “Mango Chow” by anyone who is familiar with it. All throughout school, you could find many vendors who sold these to kids and as an adult, there would be a lovely lady who would come by my office with a large basket on her head, and of course, these would be in there.

Ingredients and Substitutions:

Mangoes – You want to use nice firm mangoes. They can be green or half-ripened but you should be nice and firm. The greener the mango, the more tart they will be. My preference is always the ones that are now starting to get ripe because it adds some sweetness to them.

Salt and Hot Sauce – This is the salt and pepper combo that will season your mangoes. These are meant to be spicy but you can adjust to your own taste. I like to use a homemade Caribbean-style hot sauce but it’s all up to you.

Lemon Juice – Adds a little tart and wetness and allows all the flavors to come together.

Cilantro – this adds some freshness and flavor. You can use many other herbs like dill, green onions, culantro.

Other Additions – You can toss in other things like cucumbers, pineapple chunks, or other seasonings like black pepper or white wine vinegar. It’s all up to you. I like to keep mine simple like the recipe here.

Let me know if you try this. Enjoy!

Print Recipe

Sweet and Spicy Mangoes (Mango Chow)

Cuisine: Guyanese Courses: Snacks

Difficulty: Beginner Prep Time 10 min Total Time 10 mins Best Season: Summer

Description

This sweet and spicy mango snack is so easy to make and makes the perfect summertime snack. You can have it by the pool with a cool drink or just for a mid-week snack. 

Ingredients

Servings

• 2 cups mangoes, cubed (half ripened)
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

Instructions

1. Toss together in a large bowl, serve and enjoy!

Note

• I like to use mangoes that are half ripened for a bit more sweetness but green mangoes work great too. They will be more tart.
• I like to use a Caribbean-style hot sauce but you can substitute red pepper flakes, crushed fresh peppers, or any hot sauce you like.
• You can refrigerate any leftovers.
• You can add other garlic, black pepper, and other herbs like dill or green onions to make it your own.