Green Mango Sambal

Nikita's cucumber and green mango sambal cuts through the richness of her curry sauce in one mouthful. Green mango is simply unripe mango: firm, pale and intensely sour, more like a green apple than the sweet ripe fruit. In South and South East Asia it is treated as a vegetable. Buy mangoes that feel rock hard; ripe ones will not work. Peel and dice or julienne the flesh and combine with diced cucumber, finely sliced shallot and a spoonful of fermented chili sambal paste (sambal oelek is widely available). The mix needs no cooking. Use it to lift fatty fish, slow-cooked meat, fried snacks, or rice dishes that need a sharp, hot, fresh counterpoint.