Chilled Shrimp, Mango and Avocado Cups
- Savory
- Quick
- Light
- No cook
A light, no-cook New Year's Eve starter: sweet mango, creamy avocado and tender shrimp tossed in a bright lime dressing and spooned into small cups.
- Total
- 18 min
- Prep 18
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
You'll practice: Emulsifying · Dicing
Instructions
-
If the shrimp are frozen, thaw them fully in the fridge and pat dry. Use ready-cooked shrimp only; do not heat them.
~3 min
Thawing in the fridge keeps the shrimp cold and safe, and patting them dry stops water diluting the lime dressing.
-
Juice both limes into a small bowl, then whisk in the olive oil, salt and black pepper until the dressing looks slightly thickened.
~3 min
Whisking disperses the oil into tiny droplets so it emulsifies with the lime juice, giving a dressing that coats rather than pools.
Taste the dressing before folding it in: it should be sharply citrusy, since the mango and avocado will soften the acidity.
Emulsifying Whisk the oil in steadily so it breaks into tiny droplets and the dressing thickens and clings; if it looks slick and separated, keep whisking hard.
-
Cut the mango and avocado into 1.5 cm cubes. Finely dice the red onion and roughly chop the coriander leaves.
~7 min
Dicing Cut the mango and avocado into even 1.5 cm cubes with a sharp knife and a light hand; uneven or crushed pieces turn mushy once dressed.
-
In a large bowl, gently fold the shrimp, mango, avocado, red onion and coriander with the lime dressing until everything is coated.
~3 min
Folding rather than stirring keeps the soft avocado and mango cubes whole, so the salad stays chunky instead of turning to mush.
Add the avocado last and fold gently so the cubes stay intact and the salad does not turn mushy.
-
Spoon the mixture into 4 small cups or glasses, dividing it evenly, and serve right away while the avocado is still firm.
~2 min
Avocado browns and softens once cut and dressed, so serving promptly keeps its colour and firm texture at their best.
