Mango Verde con Alguashte
Mango Verde con Alguashte·(mahn-goh VEHR-deh kohn ahl-GWASH-teh)
Antojitos: Weeknight Hacks and Street Food Fixes
At three in the afternoon in San Salvador, you trade crumpled bills for a plastic Ziploc bag, and rock-hard, painfully sour green mangoes are carved up and doused in alguashte—an ancient, pre-Columbian seasoning made simply from toasted pumpkin seeds. It delivers a deeply savory, nutty punch that crashes beautifully against the acidic fruit, salt, and fresh lime juice. Finding true mango tierno in an American suburb takes a sharp eye, but slice the most unripe green mango from a local supermarket, and the tart green flesh snaps against the quiet neighborhood, the sharp juice hitting the back of your jaw as the earthy seeds ground it out.
Ingredients
- raw unsalted hulled pumpkin seeds1 cup
- kosher salt1 1/4 tsp
- unripe green mangoes3 med
- fresh lime juice2 tbsp
- chili powder1/2 tsp
- Worcestershire sauce1 tsp
Method
- 01
Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat until lightly golden and aromatic.
Shake the pan or stir continuously for about 3 to 5 minutes so they don't burn, which will quickly turn the alguashte bitter.
- 02
Transfer the toasted seeds to a plate and let them cool completely to room temperature.
This is the non-negotiable grandmother's secret; if you try to grind them while hot, the released oils will turn your powder into pumpkin seed butter.
- 03
Pulse the completely cooled seeds in a spice grinder or blender until they form a fine powder.
Pass the ground seeds through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl to remove any larger chunks, then stir in 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt.
- 04
Peel the tough green skin from the mangoes and slice the pale, crunchy flesh into strips or bite-sized chunks.
Use the hardest, most unripe green mangoes you can find to replicate the authentic crunch and tartness of a true Salvadoran mango tierno.
- 05
Arrange the mango on a platter, squeeze the lime juice over the top, and coat heavily with the homemade alguashte.
For the full street vendor "con todo" experience, finish with the remaining pinch of salt, a dusting of chili powder, and a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce.
Notes
Store any leftover alguashte in an airtight jar in the refrigerator.
It keeps beautifully and is incredible dusted over sliced cucumbers, fresh oranges, or even a bowl of popcorn.