Salade de Fruits de Bangui

Background

Salade de Fruits de Bangui is a bright, market-inspired fruit salad from the river city of Bangui, where tropical bounty is celebrated in everyday cooking and festive gatherings alike. Street vendors and family cooks rely on seasonal treasures like pineapple, mango, and papaya for juicy sweetness, layer in soft slices of banana, add citrus lift from orange and lime, and finish with the tangy perfume of passion fruit. To deepen aroma, a simple dressing can be whisked from honey, grated ginger, and a hint of vanilla extract, balanced by a tiny pinch of salt, then crowned with snowy coconut flakes and cool mint leaves.

In many Central African homes, a fruit salad like this moves easily from breakfast bowl to afternoon refresher and celebratory dessert. The mix favors local availability and personal taste. Some days more tang from lime, others more honeyed lushness from ripe mango or golden pineapple. The hallmark is exuberant freshness, a balance of sweet, tart, juicy, and floral notes, and the creamy pop of passion fruit seeds against tender cubes of papaya and slices of banana.

Ingredients

• 1 medium pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into small cubes
• 2 ripe mango, peeled and diced
• 1 small papaya, peeled, seeded, and diced
• 2 medium banana, peeled and sliced
• 2 large orange, segmented (reserve any juice)
• 2 lime, zest and juice
• 3 passion fruit, pulp and seeds
• 1/2 cup coconut flakes, lightly toasted if desired
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon finely grated ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• Small handful of torn mint leaves, plus extra for garnish

Ingredient notes

Choose fragrant, fully ripe mango and golden, sweet-tart pineapple for fuller flavor. A ripe papaya should yield slightly to gentle pressure. Juicy segments of orange and bright lime zest lift the entire bowl. The floral tang of passion fruit is classic here, and soft snowfall of coconut flakes with cool mint leaves brings aroma and contrast. The simple dressing of honey, ginger, vanilla extract, and a whisper of salt ties everything together.

Preparation

1. Prep the fruit: Dice the pineapple, cube the mango, and cut the papaya. Slice the banana just before mixing to keep texture. Segment the orange, catching any juice. Zest and juice the lime. Scoop the pulp from the passion fruit.
2. Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk honey, grated ginger, vanilla extract, a squeeze of lime juice, a little reserved orange juice if available, and a pinch of salt until smooth.
3. Toss gently: In a large bowl, combine the pineapple, mango, papaya, banana, and orange. Pour over the dressing and fold with a wide spatula to avoid bruising. Spoon in the passion fruit and fold again.
4. Chill: Cover and refrigerate for 20–30 minutes to let flavors mingle and to firm the texture.
5. Finish and serve: Sprinkle with coconut flakes, add torn mint leaves, and adjust with a touch more lime juice or a drizzle of honey if you prefer. Taste for balance; a tiny extra pinch of salt can sharpen sweetness.

How to enjoy

Serve the salad well chilled, letting the aroma of mint leaves and the perfume of passion fruit rise from the bowl. Pair with grilled mains to refresh the palate, or spoon over porridge for breakfast. For a light dessert, mound into small bowls and finish with extra coconut flakes and a squeeze of lime.

Tips

• Flavor balance: If the mix skews too tart, add a swirl of honey. If it feels heavy, brighten with more lime juice or a few more segments of orange.
• Texture: Keep cubes relatively small so the crunch of pineapple balances the silkiness of papaya and banana.
• Aroma: A touch more grated ginger adds warmth; extra vanilla extract softens sharper edges.
• Garnish: Scatter more coconut flakes just before serving and tuck in sprigs of mint leaves.

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container to preserve the freshness of the mango, the bite of the pineapple, and the crunch of the passion fruit seeds. Add extra coconut flakes and a squeeze of lime just before enjoying again, and fold in a little more honey if the fruit tastes less sweet after chilling.

Serving sizes and scaling

For larger gatherings, double every component evenly so the ratio of pineapple, mango, papaya, banana, orange, and passion fruit stays balanced, then adjust with lime, honey, ginger, vanilla extract, a whisper of salt, and a flurry of coconut flakes and mint leaves at the end.