Cold Mango Soup is Texas Mexican — Not Tex-Mex
This delicious soup is both savory and sweet, and it provides a remedy when the days bring on relentless heat. The sweetness of mango is tempered by the acid of vinegar and a bit of onion, and I think you’ll like the refreshing taste of cucumber.
To serve, pour the chilled soup in 4 bowls and float 1/2 Tbs. of the chile sal cucumber dice on each bowl as garnish.
NOTE about Texas Mexican and Tex-Mex
When I make this distinctiion, I do not disparage, I simply explain that the two types of food are not the same. Both are beloved by many, but they are in fact very different. Different in their history, their flavor profile and their outdoor signage.
Here’s the difference in a nutshell, (breve, para que quepa en una cáscara de nuez).
–Texas Mexican is the indigenous cooking of Native Mexican American families of Texas whose ancestors arrived and began cooking in what is now Texas 15,000 years ago. The flavor profile favors ancient techniques of roasting, boiling, steaming and drying. Contemporary dishes build upon indigenous traditions and include: nopalitos con huevo, caldo de res, capirotada, fideo, carne guisada, machacado, and powdered shrimp croquettes during Lent. Family cocineras/os call it “Comida Casera,” home-style cooking.
In their outside signage, these restaurants use the term, and identify as: Mexican restaurant.
–Tex-Mex is the Texas restaurant cooking that became popular around the 1930’s when Anglo-run restaurants began to imitate the flavors of indigenous Texas Mexican food. The flavor profile favors mainly the technique of deep fat frying. Contemporary dishes build upon the dishes of “Comida Casera” but increase the use of cumin and also of yellow cheese, using it as a topping for most plates. Tex-Mex restaurants will not serve the core Texas Mexican dishes like caldo de res, nopalitos con huevo, fideo or machacado.
In their outside signage these restaurants prominently use the term and identify as: “Tex-Mex,” v.g. Chuy’s Tex-Mex; Gringo’s Tex-Mex, etc.
Recipe for Cold Mango Soup
This recipe is reprinted from “The Texas Mexican Plant-based Cookbook”
Ingredients (makes 4 cups)
2 medium mangos (14 oz. of pulp)
4 oz. cucumber, peeled, quartered
3/4 oz. white onion
2 oz. extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp. distilled white vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups water
For garnish
4 Tbs. cucumber, sliced into 1/4-inch dice
1 Tbs. chile sal (recipe follows)
Method
1. Peel the mangos and cut off all the pulp away from the pit.
2. In a blender, place the mango pulp, peeled cucumber, and all the other ingredients (excluding the garnish ingredients) and blend for about 1 minute, until smooth and creamy.
3. Chill the soup for 4 hours or until it is completely chilled.
4. When ready to serve, gently toss 4 Tbs. of cucumber dice in 1 Tbs. chile sal so that the dice are completely coated.
Recipe for Chile Sal
Ingredients (makes 3/4 cup)
1 oz. chiles guajillos (about 5 chiles)
1/4 oz. chipotle chile (dried, not in adobo, about 1 small chile)
1/4 oz. pasilla chile (about 1 chile)
salt in a ratio of 1 to 5
Method
In a spice grinder, grind all of the chiles into a very fine chile powder.
Measure the chile powder in a measuring cup or use a measuring spoon. Add salt to the chile powder in a ratio of 1 part salt to 5 parts chile powder. Mix well.
Sprinkle on fruit of all kinds and on your favorite dish instead of just salt. You can also rim your margarita glass with this delicious chile sal powder.
Store in an airtight container.