Thai Shrimp & Mango Cabbage Cups

Thai shrimp & mango cabbage cups are fresh, spicy and bursting with flavor in each bite. A side of peanut dipping sauce adds the perfect touch. These are perfect to serve as appetizers or even as a light meal.

I rarely use sweet mango in savory dishes. Our favorite way to enjoy mango is simply as slices of fruit or as a beverage like this one that I shared the last week. We love them so much that I rarely have a surplus of mangoes to experiment with in savory dishes, even at the peak of mango season.

But mangoes are exceptional in savory dishes, especially the ones that are just beginning to ripen. Slightly sweet and tangy, I love summer mangoes in a simple mango slaw dressed with lemon juice, chilies, salt and pepper. This skinny mango slaw became the base of this entire recipe. When I started thinking what would go well with the mango slaw, spicy fried shrimp came to mind. I wanted to make lettuce wraps but a quick look in the fridge showed me that I only had a red cabbage. You can make the same recipe with either lettuce or cabbage, as you wish.

These Thai shrimp & mango cabbage cups have a few components, but all of them pretty simple and straightforward. Begin by making the mango slaw first and letting it rest so the flavors can meld together.

Then you need to make spicy and sticky pan-fried shrimp. I marinated the shrimp in some sambal oelek (Thai red chili and garlic paste), light soy sauce and a pinch of brown sugar. A few minutes on a hot skillet and the shrimp will be perfectly cooked and the marinade will be reduced to a spicy and sticky sauce. Yum!

And of course, what are cabbage cups without a delicious dipping sauce? This peanut dipping sauce cannot be any easier. Thin out your favorite brand of creamy peanut butter with some water, soy sauce and a touch of chili sauce to make the easiest and most addictive peanut sauce ever. It really is that simple, and this peanut sauce makes a great dressing for salads and noodles too.

Lay out the components and let your family/guests build their own Thai shrimp cabbage cups. I like to use red cabbage leaves for this recipe but you can also use green ones if you like. Pile the leaves with a couple of shrimp, a generous helping of the mango slaw, fresh cilantro leaves and a squeeze of lemon. You can either drizzle the peanut sauce on top or use it for dipping (or both; I won’t judge!).

These Thai cabbage cups are perfect for summer days when you do not feel like cooking up a large meal. They work great as party appetizers or as a light, low-carb meal.

Here’s how to make these addictive Thai Shrimp & Mango Cabbage Cups.

Thai Shrimp & Mango Cabbage Cups

 

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Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

30 mins

 

Thai shrimp & mango cabbage cups are fresh, spicy and bursting with flavor in each bite. A side of peanut dipping sauce adds the perfect touch. These are perfect to serve as appetizers or even as a light meal.

Author: Anjana Devasahayam

Recipe type: Appetizers, Main

Cuisine: Thai

Serves: 6-8 cups

You will need:

For Thai Shrimp & Mango Cabbage Cups,

• Mango - 1, small
• Red onion - ¼ cup, thinly sliced
• Carrots - ½ cup, thinly julienned
• Thai green chilis - 2, sliced
• Cilantro leaves - ½ cup, divided
• Lemon juice - 2 tbsp
• Salt - to taste
• Black pepper - ¼ tsp, freshly cracked
• Shrimp - ½ lb, peeled and deveined
• Sambal oelek - 3 tbsp
• Light soy sauce - 2 tbsp
• Brown sugar - 2 tsp
• Oil - 2 tbsp
• Red cabbage leaves - 6-8
• Lemon - 1, cut into wedges

For Peanut Dipping Sauce,

• Creamy peanut butter - ½ cup
• Water - ⅓ cup
• Light soy sauce - 2 tbsp
• Lemon juice - 2 tbsp
• Paprika or red chili paste - a generous pinch
• Salt - to taste

How to:

1. Thai Shrimp & Mango Cabbage Cups: Wash, peel and slice the mango flesh thinly. Take the mango, onions, carrots and Thai green chilies in a mixing bowl. Toss with ¼ cup of chopped cilantro leaves, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Cover this mango slaw and set aside while you prep the rest of the ingredients.
2. In another bowl, mix the shrimp with sambal oelek, soy sauce and brown sugar. You will not need any extra salt because the sambal and soy sauce will have enough salt.
3. Heat oil in large skillet. Lay the shrimp in a single layer and cook a couple of minutes per side until opaque. Remove shrimp to a bowl and scrape the leftover sauce from the skillet on top.
4. When ready to assemble the cabbage cups, pile a few spoonfuls of mango slaw onto a small-medium cabbage leaf. Add 3-4 shrimp, chopped cilantro leaves and serve with lemon wedges and peanut dipping sauce (recipe follows).
5. Peanut Dipping Sauce: Mix together all the ingredients in a small bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve with Thai shrimp and mango cabbage cups.

Notes:

1. You can use lettuce leaves instead of cabbage leaves too.

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Don’t forget to PIN &B SAVE this recipe for later.

What is your go-to easy summer meal recipe? Do you like lettuce or cabbage wraps? Do give this a try and let me know how you like it.

Here is another super easy recipe for Thai Chicken & Fried Rice Lettuce Wraps.

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I am sharing this over at Fiesta Friday.