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OKRA AND MANGO SALAD

At my boarding school in Nigeria, at the weekend we would go to the local swimming pool or track for sports before an afternoon siesta and a serving of fresh papaya or mango picked from the trees on campus. We never ate them in a fancy way – we weren’t given knives to cut the fruit into cubes. Instead, we would cup them in our hands, peel the skins back with our teeth and bite into the flesh. This salad reminds me of those times and is filled with some of my favourite leaves and vegetables to be found in Nigeria, one of which is atama. Here, it’s easiest to find in an African or Caribbean shop or online. However, with its distinctly liquorice flavour, tarragon makes the perfect substitute.

PREP TIME: 10 MINS

COOKING TIME: 5 MINS

SERVES: 4

2 tsp coconut oil

350g okra, chopped

1 small red onion, finely chopped

1 tbsp atama or tarragon, chopped

2 small mangoes or papayas

FOR THE DRESSING

6 tbsp coconut nectar or honey

2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tsp crushed chilli flakes

First, make the dressing by whisking together the coconut nectar or honey, lemon juice and chilli flakes in a small bowl.

In a frying pan, heat the coconut oil over a medium–high heat until it melts and fry the okra for roughly 3 minutes. The okra should still have a slight crunch to it – if heated for too long, it will become soggy. Add the dressing, making sure the okra is evenly coated before setting aside to cool.

Put the onion and atama or tarragon leaves in a large bowl and toss thoroughly.

If using mango, remove the skin using a y-peeler, then cut the cheeks off, making sure to avoid the stone. Trim any extra flesh off the stone, then cut all the flesh into slices. If using papaya, cut it in half lengthways and deseed, then scoop out the flesh in chunks.

When you’re ready to serve, evenly distribute the onion mix between four plates and top with the fruit and okra. Drizzle the juices from frying the okra on top of the salad and dig in.