Welcome to My Delicious Diaita! / Mango Jalapeno Coleslaw

Hello and welcome to my blog. I already know what you are thinking. Thank goodness! This is exactly what the internet needs! Another food blog! But my goal is to be different. I want this to be a place where instead of just being given a recipe to follow, you are provided with the proper technique and skills that are crucial to becoming the best cook you can be.

While I would love to be able to sit down to a sophisticated, professional-quality meal with my husband every evening, that just isn't happening. Some days the best I can manage is a ten minute meal of frozen veggies tossed with whole grains and vinaigrette. And you know what, that's okay! Because, culinary diploma aside, I still have to carve out time in my day, money in my bank account, and space on my counter in order to make supper happen. I just so happen to have a few tricks up my sleeve to make the process less daunting and I can't wait to share them with you!

 Over the years I have come to learn that the biggest obstacle preventing so many people from cooking more often is simply unobtainable expectations. So, my first advice to you... relax and just... cook.  It's okay if your food isn't Instagram worthy, was made in one pot or eaten on paper plates. After all, you aren’t trying to get your dinner into Food and Wine Magazine; you are trying to get it from the stove to the table without losing your mind!

And since this little virtual gastronomical project of mine is still in its infancy, I want to customize it to be whatever YOU need it to be! My intentions are not to have a website all about me, but to create a space where even the most inexperienced cook can visit and afterward confidently navigate the grocery store and consistently produce a quality meal they can be proud of. Because, believe it or not, no matter your income, no matter your family size, and no matter how jam-packed your schedule is, it is completely possible for you to cook dinner tonight!

So join me, and together we will conquer the grocery store, tackle cooking techniques, and dissect thought processes necessary for you to become champion of your kitchen!

 *Have advice for me, suggestions for the page or questions you would like answered? Please leave a comment or email me at MyDeliciousDiaita@gmail.com  because like I said, this is all about YOU!*

And now, as a HUGE thank you for taking the time to not only visit, but also read through my first post, I give you the very first Delicious Diaita recipe!  I wanted to post something that is not only perfect for this time of year, but introduces you to multiple fruits and vegetables and a few of the many methods of preparing them. In addition to slicing and dicing, pay attention to the textures and combination of the savory, sweet and acidic components. Because, learning how to balance flavors is fundamental in great cooking and very easy once you get the hang of it. So * PLEASE* be patient and do not be hard on yourself. Because all of this takes time but luckily, probably not as much time as you may think.

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Even though summer might be half over, cookout season is far from concluding! Not to mention, tailgating is right around the corner for you football fans... So, if you want to bring a dish to your next outdoor soiree that is a refreshingly bright and most importantly DELICIOUS alternative to the usual store-bought tubs of forgotten sides, mango jalapeno coleslaw is the way to go. Cheap and easy to prepare for the masses, this crowd pleaser will have you spending less time in the kitchen and more time sipping margaritas with friends and family, all while getting to say "yeah, I made that!" Inspired by a dish from a favorite food truck, this coleslaw goes with everything from burgers and dogs, to BBQ, fried fish, crawdads and steaks. Yeah. Like I said. Everything. So, without further delay....

Mango Jalapeno Coleslaw

Serves: a bunch. Like, easily 20 servings here. This is a cookout after all!    So, if making for your family or a small group, just cut all the ingredients by half                                     .                                                         

                                          

Tools needed:

                         A large, sharp knife

                                A zester *I use a microplane but the smallest side of a box grater will work too*

                                A grater

                                A whisk/spoon/ fork. (something to stir)

                                One large bowl

                                One smaller bowl

                                Cutting board

Ingredients:

                            Half of a purple and green cabbage

                                Two large carrots

                                4 green onions

                                2 mangos

                                2 jalapenos

                                3/4 cup mayonnaise

                                1/4 cup sour cream

                                 Zest and juice of 2 limes

                                2 tablespoons vinegar (I happened to have a pear vinegar but a  champagne or white vinegar would work just as well.

                                2 tablespoons white sugar

                                Salt and pepper

Instructions: *always wash ALL produce before cutting into it*

1. Start by slicing each cabbage in half if you haven't already. (save the remaining halves for soup, salads, sandwiches or sauerkraut this week!) Now, slice each half in half again creating quarters

2. Carefully core each quarter of cabbage by placing your knife at an angle and removing the large white core by slowly moving your knife in a sawing motion

3. laying each quarter cut side down on the board and starting at one end of the wedge, start shredding the cabbage by slicing very thin strips and put in your large bowl

4. shred the carrots and add to the bowl

5. thinly slice the green onions and add to the bowl and toss all the veg together

6. Dice the mangos by slicing the flesh off each side of the large pit. Then, carefully make both horizontal and vertical slices into the fruit without going all the way through the skin. This will create dices. Finally, separate the dices from the skin by running your knife between the fruit and the skin. (if your dices aren't pretty or need to be smaller, just go ahead and give them a slight "rough chop" after they are mixed in with the 'slaw i promise it won't make much of a difference.

7. Mince the jalapenos by first slicing them in half and removing the seeds and white membrane with your fingers.  Then with the skin side down, run your knife along the length of the jalapenos creating thin slices. Finally, turn the slices horizontal to your cutting board and starting at one end, begin chopping to create very small pieces. *I suggest wearing disposable gloves or washing your hands ASAP after cutting into the jalapenos.*

8. zest the limes and juice them by slicing in half and either squeezing into a bowl with your hand or using a hand held juicer. *I almost always zest my citrus before juicing. The zest has flavorful oils that really enhance the citrus flavor and help you get the most out of your fruit purchase!

9.  In your smaller bowl, add the mayonnaise, sour cream, minced jalapenos, lime zest and juice, vinegar, sugar and about 1-2 tablespoons of salt and a 1 tablespoon of pepper (less if you prefer your coleslaw more sweet) mix together very well *you want this mixture to be slightly fluid so if it's too thick, just add a touch of water or more lime juice to loosen*

10. Pour the mayo mixture over the vegetables in the large bowl and  toss well

 

Congratulations! You just made a tasty summertime-side that is bound to amaze and impress!

The 'slaw will keep in the fridge and tastes great cold or, if you are able to keep it out less than 4 hours, leave it out and serve at room temperature.

*note*As I have already mentioned, I really want to stress that the technique, skills and thought processes involved in cooking are so much more important than following an actual recipe. For example, you can use regular mayonnaise and sour cream like I happened to for this recipe, or you can switch it up with vegan mayo, Greek yogurt or any combination of these and still get a great end result.

Now, let’s get creative! As mentioned above, learning following a recipe is not what I want you to take from this.  Once you feel comfortable, don’t be afraid to change it up! Using the same techniques and proportions, try switching out some ingredients to make this recipe all yours. For example, try exchanging the mango and jalapeño for apples and walnuts and maybe add a dash of nutmeg to create waldorf coleslaw.

With the proper skills and right mind frame you can be more amazing in your kitchen than you ever realized! Now go make something delicious!

* feel free to send me pictures to MyDeliciousDiaita@gmail.com of not only my recipes but your own kitchen creations!*