{"id":18311,"date":"2016-08-22T21:42:41","date_gmt":"2016-08-23T04:42:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pcgirl.net\/recipes\/?p=18311"},"modified":"2016-07-19T21:43:46","modified_gmt":"2016-07-20T04:43:46","slug":"mexican-fruit-salad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pcgirl.net\/recipes\/?p=18311","title":{"rendered":"Mexican Fruit Salad"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mexican Fruit Salad\"Mexican<\/a><\/p>\n

When you buy Mexican fruit salad on the street, it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s assembled right then. The fruit is put in whatever container the vendor uses, most often a cardboard french fries kind of cup. Then lime juice is squeezed over it and salt and chili powder sprinkled on top. When you make it at home, assemble it at the last minute like this\u00e2\u20ac\u201dthe salt begins leeching juice from the fruit right away.<\/p>\n

A quick note about this recipe. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m usually very careful about giving specific ingredients, measurements and instructions. This time, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m not even giving you the number of servings. Consider this more a guide than a legitimate recipe. But don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t let that deter you. Making this is brainlessly easy, and you will love the results. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s delicious and healthy as a snack, and it makes a wonderful side for just about any kind of grilled meat, poultry or fish.<\/p>\n

Mexican Fruit Salad with Chili Powder<\/p>\n

Choose 1, 2, 3 or more fruits and\/or vegetables\u00e2\u20ac\u201dhere are some that work well:
\nmango
\npineapple [see Kitchen Notes]
\nwatermelon
\ncantaloupe or other melon
\ncucumber or fresh pickles [see Kitchen Notes]
\njicama [see Kitchen Notes]<\/p>\n

lime juice
\nchili powder [see Kitchen Notes]
\nsalt, to taste<\/p>\n

Prepare the fruit. Slice up the fruits [and vegetables, if you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re using them]. For the salad you see here, I used pineapple, mango, watermelon and cucumber. Slice them into big chunks and spears\u00e2\u20ac\u201dthis is street food, often eaten with your fingers. You can make the salad ahead, up to this point, and chill the fruit until you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re ready to serve.<\/p>\n

Assemble the salad. Place the fruit in a large, shallow bowl. Squeeze lime juice over it [for a generous salad for two, I used the juice of one lime]. Season generously with salt and chili powder. Stir gently with a rubber spatula to avoid damaging fruit and taste. You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll probably want to add more chili powder; keep adding, stirring and tasting until you pick up the flavor of the chili powder and a little heat. Add as much chili powder as you and your dinner guests can comfortably take\u00e2\u20ac\u201dthat\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a key part of this salad\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s charm. Serve immediately.<\/p>\n

Kitchen Notes<\/p>\n

First, a couple of quick general notes. There are countless variations on this theme. Coconut was one ingredient that turned up on occasion, as was lemon juice, but some recipes warned that the latter would be overly tart. I agree. A couple of fruits that were called out as not working well in this dish were bananas and berries. Feel free to experiment.<\/p>\n

Picking a pineapple. This was the surprise hit of the version we made. Here is Marion\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s no fail tip for picking a nice, ripe pineapple: Pull on one of the leaves at the top. If it pulls out easily, the pineapple is ripe. Period.<\/p>\n

Cucumbers: Peel or no peel? Cucumbers add a particularly nice palate cleansing taste. The cucumber I used was relatively thin skinned and not waxed, so I didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t peel it\u00e2\u20ac\u201dthe skin added an extra crunch and a nice dark green to the salad. If the skin is waxed, or if it tastes bitter [sample heavily as you make this salad], peel it. If you can find \u00e2\u20ac\u0153fresh pickles\u00e2\u20ac\u009d\u00e2\u20ac\u201dalso referred to as pickling cucumbers, smaller than salad cucumbers or, well, cucumbers\u00e2\u20ac\u201dthese work well in this salad. They can also be served alone with the lime juice, salt and chili powder as a refreshing salad or side dish.<\/p>\n

What the heck is jicama? Pronounced hee-kah-ma, it is often referred to as the Mexican potato, according to Epicuirous.com. It is a large, bulbous root vegetable with \u00e2\u20ac\u0153a thin brown skin and white crunchy flesh. Its sweet, nutty flavor is good both raw and cooked. J\u00c3\u00adcama is available from November through May and can be purchased in Mexican markets and most large supermarkets.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d It is a particularly popular ingredient for Mexican fruit salad.<\/p>\n

Chili powder, pure and simple. Every recipe had a different opinion on chili powder. Some advocated mixes meant strictly for fruit and found in Mexican markets. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m sure it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s wonderful, but the brands vary and so do their sodium levels\u00e2\u20ac\u201dand other ingredients, for that matter. One source called for grinding your own chiles; if you can find them, this sounds like a great idea. But honestly, I say go for the best pure chili powder you can find. Make sure it doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t contain cumin or other flavorings and you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll do fine.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Mexican Fruit Salad When you buy Mexican fruit salad on the street, it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s assembled right then. The fruit is put in whatever container the vendor uses, most often a cardboard french fries kind of cup. Then lime juice is squeezed over it and salt and chili powder sprinkled on top. When you make it at home, assemble it at the last minute like this\u00e2\u20ac\u201dthe salt begins leeching juice from the fruit right away. A quick note about this recipe. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m…<\/p>\n

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