Edited 8/25/26:
- Prep and cook time: 30+ minutes
My elder sister taught me how to make her delicious mango salad. It’s one of my favorite Vietnamese goi.
Vietnamese mango salad requires firm, crunchy, sour green mangoes. The following recommendations of crunchy green sour mangoes include:
- Nam Doc Mai
- Mahachinok
- Palmer
- Pim Seng Mun
- Vietnamese xoài tượng
- Bailey
- Sia Tong
Don’t mistaken it with the green mangoes you commonly see at most western markets such as the Kent, Keitt, and Tommy Atkins. Those may appear green and firm but are too juicy and sweet even when green.
Ingredients:
For the mango salad
- 2 firm green mangoes
- 1 bunch of Vietnamese coriander (rau ram)
- 1 bunch of Thai basil
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 pkg of dried shrimp (7 oz) OR 2 dozen wild caught shrimp
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
For the mango salad dressing, mix the following:
- 1 Tbsp Viet Huong fish sauce
- 2 Tbsp warm water
- 1.5 Tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp mined garlic
- 1/2 tsp pepper flakes
Note: I doubled the amount for the mango salad dressing because I drizzle a lot over my goi.
Direction:
1. Rinse and strain the herbs. Separate the leaves, discarding the stems. Chop the Thai basil leaves coarsely. Put the herbs into a large mixing bowl.
2. Peel and julienne the mangoes into a large bowl.
3. Minced the garlic. Soak the dried shrimp in luke warm water for about 3 minutes. Drain water and dry the shrimp on paper towel.
4. Heat up skillet with 2 Tbsp of olive oil. When oil is hot, add in mined garlic and dried shrimp. Reserve 1 tsp of minced garlic to a side. When garlic and dried shrimp turn to a golden crisp color, turn off stove.
5. Transfer the garlic and dried shrimp into a bowl. Set aside to cool. While the skillet is still hot, add in the remaining reserved minced garlic. When the toasted garlic and shrimp is cooled, add it into the mango salad bowl. Mix it up well.
6. Store mango salad and the dressing in the fridge. Serve cold. I use about 1 Tbsp of the sauce per 1 cup of mango salad. Mix and enjoy!
