Charred Asparagus, Mango and Coconut Salad with Green Chilli, Lime and Toasted Curry Leaf Oil

This one starts with asparagus, because May is when asparagus is worth paying attention to, but it does not stop there. The spears are charred until they take on a little smoke and still keep some bite, then paired with sweet mango, cool cucumber, sharp radish, lime, herbs, toasted coconut and a warm curry leaf oil that brings the whole thing into focus.

It is a salad built on contrast - usually what separates a decent one from a memorable one. You get sweetness, heat, acid, crunch and softness all in the same mouthful. Nothing feels overworked. It just tastes alive.

For the asparagus, a properly hot griddle pan is the thing. In the video, our Cook School tutor uses the Season Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Griddle Pan, which gives the spears those dark, savoury stripes and enough fierce heat to char them quickly without turning them limp. The Season Tri-Ply Stainless Steel Frying Pan earns its place too, particularly for toasting the coconut and making the curry leaf oil, where steady, even heat matters.

The rest is mostly a matter of knowing when to leave things alone. Slice the mango so it keeps its shape. Keep the radishes fine (a good mandoline helps). Let the cucumber stay cool and fresh. The dressing is sharp and simple: lime, rice vinegar, a little honey, olive oil, and soy or salt. It wakes everything up without making a fuss about itself.

A Season Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl is useful here for whisking the dressing and getting all your elements in order before you assemble. The Season Silicone Tongs are equally helpful once the asparagus is on the heat, letting you turn and lift each spear neatly without crushing it.

Then there is the final part, which matters more than people think. This salad wants to be arranged, not piled. A broad white plate gives the colours room to do their work, which is why the Season Canvas Bone China Dinner Plate suits it so well. The green asparagus, pale coconut, pink radishes and yellow mango do not need embellishment. They just need a bit of space.

Spoon over the dressing, finish with the warm curry leaf oil and the crisp leaves themselves, and bring it to the table straight away. It should look slightly unruly, which is exactly right.

If you want to turn it into something more substantial, crisp fried halloumi works very well. Salt-baked new potatoes are even better, especially if you tear them into rough chunks and let them catch the dressing. Griddled tofu is a good route too. Or you could add a spoonful of whipped labneh underneath and call it lunch.

This is the sort of cooking we come back to often at Cook School: seasonal ingredients, treated properly, with enough contrast to keep things interesting. Nothing loud. Nothing overblown. Just a very good salad that knows what it is doing.

Charred asparagus, mango and coconut salad with green chilli, lime and toasted curry leaf oil

Serves 4

For the salad

• 2 bunches asparagus
• 1 slightly firm ripe mango
• 1 small cucumber
• 4 radishes
• 1 small shallot
• 1 small green chilli
• 40g unsweetened desiccated coconut, or a handful of fresh coconut, shaved if you can get it
• 40g roasted peanuts or cashews
• 1 large handful mint leaves
• 1 large handful coriander
• 1 small handful dill, optional
• 1 lime

For the curry leaf oil

• 3 tbsp neutral oil
• 12–15 fresh curry leaves
• 1 tsp black mustard seeds
• ½ tsp cumin seeds

For the dressing

• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp honey or palm sugar
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp soy sauce, or a small pinch of salt

Method

1. Char the asparagus
Heat a griddle pan, frying pan or barbecue until very hot. Toss the asparagus with a little oil and cook until lightly charred but still with some bite. Cut into long lengths or leave whole if they are not too large.

2. Prepare the other ingredients
Peel the mango and slice into thin cheeks or wedges.
Slice the cucumber into ribbons or half moons.
Slice the radishes finely.
Slice the shallot as thinly as possible.
Finely slice the green chilli.
Toast the coconut in a dry pan until lightly golden if using desiccated coconut.

3. Make the curry leaf oil
Heat the neutral oil in a small pan. Add the mustard seeds. When they start to pop, add the cumin seeds and curry leaves. Cook for a few seconds until fragrant and crisp, then take off the heat at once.

4. Make the dressing
Whisk together the lime juice, rice vinegar, honey, olive oil and soy sauce or salt.

5. Assemble
Arrange the asparagus, mango, cucumber and radishes on a platter. Scatter over the shallot, chilli, herbs, toasted coconut and nuts. Spoon over the dressing, then finish with the warm curry leaf oil and the crisp leaves themselves.

Serve straight away.

Why it works

The point is contrast:

• charred green asparagus
• soft, sweet mango
• cool cucumber
• heat from chilli
• perfume from curry leaves
• richness from nuts and coconut
• acid from lime

That is what makes it memorable.

To make it more substantial

Add one of the following:

• crisp fried halloumi
• salt-baked new potatoes, torn into chunks
• griddled tofu
• a spoonful of whipped labneh underneath

The potatoes version is especially good.

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