Jicama and Mango Salad

My favorite Thai restaurant taunts me with a green papaya salad that I can’t get enough of, especially during these summer months. Throughout the hellacious years of remodeling our house, we’d frequently get takeout and marshal our goods, which nearly always included this green papaya salad, to a nearby beach for dinner, whilst our poor kitchen stood bathed in two inches of dust. With the home projects (finally) complete, I became fixated on making the salad in my own kitchen. Unfortunately, my quest for fresh green papaya, I quickly discovered, came up empty handed time and time again, on our cloistered little Island.

What to do, what to do. One day, while browsing through the produce isle, I noticed a lonely basket of jicama, wedged uncomfortably into a corner. Ah ha! I immediately grabbed one and thought it might serve as a good substitute for the green papaya I pined after.

Upon reflection, I now see the error of my ways. All this time, I could have been utilizing and appreciating the deliciousness of these strange looking, thick skinned, turnip-like creatures I so often passed by. Jicama have a crisp, refreshing crunch, similar to that of a water chestnut, only better. They are quite mild, with a hint of sweetness, and a good source of Vitamin C. Plus, the word jicama sounds cute. This simple jicama and mango salad comes together in a snap and is perfect for summer months when all you crave is a light, refreshing salad that is full of lip smacking flavor to boot. We still go to the beach for dinner, but now I can pack a picnic with my new tasty salad and finally let go of my longing for the green papaya.