For the mango “mozzarella” tartare
Cut the avocados in half, remove the core, and carefully remove the flesh from the skin. Cut the avocados into small cubes and mix with 2 tablespoons lemon juice.
Dice the plant-based mozzarella. Peel the mango and cut into 1 cm cubes. Mix with 1 tablespoon lemon juice.
To make 4 servings, the author Timo Franke uses 2 balls of plant-based mozzarella. We have used one large mozzarella ball here (approximately 300 g), which is equivalent to two standard mozzarella balls.
Rinse, chop, and dry the lettuce leaves using a salad spinner. Wash the cherry tomatoes, wipe them dry, and cut in half.
You can replace the Romaine lettuce with any kind of lettuce that’s in season, for example, radicchio.
Toast the pine nuts in a dry, hot pan until golden brown, remove, and let cool. Wash the chili peppers, cut into thin rings, and remove the seeds if desired.
For the dressing
Mix the orange juice with the agave syrup and oil. Season with salt and white pepper.
Instead of using 1 tablespoon of olive oil for 4 servings, we have used cold-pressed flaxseed oil as it has a much better ratio of fatty acids.
Toss all of the ingredients with half of the dressing to make a salad. Place one ring mold (diameter approx. 7 cm) on each plate and fill with the tartare.
Mold alternative: If you do not have a suitable mold, there are other ways to give the tatare its shape. The main thing is that you need some kind of vessel that is round, has a diameter of around 7 cm, and is the right height. You could use a small plastic container or a drinking glass that isn’t too tall. You can simply experiment until you manage to evenly fill the tartare to make four servings.
For serving
Gently press the contents of the tartare together and carefully remove the mold. Garnish with mung beans and drizzle the rest of the dressing over the tartare. You can also top with chili threads if desired.
You can replace the mung beans with garden cress if you prefer.
Detailed Nutritional Information per Person for this Recipe
The majority of the nutritional information comes from the USDA (US Department of Agriculture). This means that the information for natural products is often incomplete or only given within broader categories, whereas in most cases products made from these have more complete information displayed.
If we take flaxseed, for example, the important essential amino acid ALA (omega-3) is only included in an overarching category whereas for flaxseed oil ALA is listed specifically. In time, we will be able to change this, but it will require a lot of work. An “i” appears behind ingredients that have been adjusted and an explanation appears when you hover over this symbol.
For Erb Muesli, the original calculations resulted in 48 % of the daily requirement of ALA — but with the correction, we see that the muesli actually covers >100 % of the necessary recommendation for the omega-3 fatty acid ALA. Our goal is to eventually be able to compare the nutritional value of our recipes with those that are used in conventional western lifestyles.
This fruity mango “mozzarella” tartare with avocado, cherry tomatoes, and pine nuts is a tasty and aesthetic dish to impress your guests with.
Mangoes: There are now over one thousand varieties of mangoes, which can be distinguished from one another by shape, flavor, and color. Mangoes taste sweet and contain numerous vitamins, and are one of the richest fruit sources of vitamin A (beta-carotene). Mangoes contain little acid and are easy to digest. This makes them a popular ingredient for smoothies, salads, savory dishes (e.g., coconut curry), and desserts.
Avocados: Avocados have by far the highest fat content of all fruits and vegetables. Most of the fat they contain are unsaturated fatty acids, which have a positive effect on the amount of fat in your blood. Furthermore, the high proportion of indigestible fiber lowers cholesterol levels. Avocados also contain many valuable vitamins and minerals.
Pine nuts: Pine nuts come from pines that grow in the wild. They are harvested by hand, which requires a great deal of effort. This is why the kernels are relatively expensive. Pine nuts taste a bit like almonds and have a slightly resinous flavor. They are available in supermarkets year-round.
Mung beans: Mung bean sprouts, which are often called bean sprouts, are in fact sprouted mung beans. They can be eaten raw or cooked. Related to the soybean plant, they are originally from India and belong to the Faboideae family of flowering plants. The seeds are easy to sprout and are grayish green to brown, cylindrical, and 2–5 mm long. They have a sweet and mild flavor and are easy to digest. Mung bean sprouts are often mislabeled and sold as soy bean sprouts. Unlike other types of beans, like the garden bean, mung beans do not contain lectin and can therefore be eaten raw. They do not contain trisaccharides either, which means they are easy to digest and do not cause bloating or gas.
Tips
Storing avocados: Avocados are harvested before they are ripe. They ripen best if you place them next to apples (or put them together in a paper bag) and store at room temperature. The apples release ethylene gas, which speeds up the ripening process.
Keep avocados from turning brown: The process of oxidation causes avocados to turn brown quickly after they are exposed to air. You can prevent this by drizzling lemon or lime juice on top directly after slicing. The ascorbic acid contained in citrus fruits acts as an antioxidant, which prevents the avocado from turning brown.
Alternate preparation
Alternatives to mung bean sprouts: Instead of mung bean sprouts, you can also use garden cress or other sprouts.
Making your own plant-based “mozzarella”: Making your own plant-based mozzarella is easy. You just need psyllium husks, cashews, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Procedure: Mix 2 tablespoons of psyllium husks with about 200 mL water and leave to gel for 2 hours. You can grind the psyllium husks first to increase their gelling capacity. While the psyllium husks are gelling, soak 50 to 100 grams of cashews in water for 2 hours and then drain. Blend the psyllium gel, the cashews, and 1–2 tablespoons lemon juice in a food processor and puree. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and, if desired, yeast flakes. Pour the “cheese” mixture into small glass bowls to give them a typical round shape and refrigerate until you use them.
