Oh, mango-licious June! Fruit that gives to an oh-so-gentle squeeze, as ripe and rosy as a blushing June bride. Grab your reusable produce bags and run, don’t walk, to the nearest farmer’s market. 

Perhaps mangos are best devoured over the sink, the sweet, sticky juice flowing over your chin. But we love them in a host of creative dishes: salads, salsas, gazpacho and more–they are even delish pickled with black mustard seeds and Indian spices. And there’s a laundry list of laudable health benefits: vitamins A and C, potassium and fiber to name just a few.

We love this trendy Latin-Asian creation with fried rice, slivered rounds of smoky chorizo, spicy jalapeños, fresh basil and mango. Serve it with eggs scrambled in the same pan, or fry the eggs separately and serve on top. A brunch, lunch or quick supper to celebrate the season, mango style.

Mango Fried Rice with Spanish Chorizo

Serves 2

2 (4-inch) Spanish chorizo links, thinly sliced

1 roasted red pepper, finely diced 

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon ginger paste

1 teaspoon sesame oil

2 cups cooked brown or white rice

Chicken stock, optional

Coarse salt, freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/2 cup frozen peas, or more to taste

2 eggs, beaten

1 jalapeño, thinly sliced

3 scallions, thinly sliced

1 large ripe mango, peeled and chopped 

Fresh basil, torn

Lime wedges, soy sauce, for serving

Cook chorizo over medium-low heat in a large skillet until fat begins to render, stirring occasionally. Raise heat to medium and add red pepper, garlic, ginger paste and sesame oil, stirring to combine for 1 to 2 minutes. 

Add cooked rice (leftover is best for fried rice dishes) and stir. If the rice seems too dry, add a drizzle of chicken stock to moisten. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Add frozen peas and toss with the rice. 

Pushing rice mixture to one side, scramble beaten eggs in pan until set. Add jalapeño, scallions, mango and basil, tossing gently. Serve immediately with lime wedges and soy sauce.

Diva confession: Peeling and chopping a juicy ripe mango can be a slippery mess. Here’s an easy method for slicing: without peeling, cut the mango away from the pit, leaving the pieces whole. Placing a piece skin side down, carefully slice a grid without cutting through the skin. Once the grid is cut, invert the mango to create bite-size squares of fruit. Nibble directly from the skin, or use a paring knife to remove the squares. {jcomments on}