Different ways of eating mangoes

Mangos in the kitchen

How to choose the best mangoes in the market?

Mango peeled and cut into pieces

The tastiest mangoes are those that are almost mature, something which is possible in the production area but very difficult when it comes to parts where they have to be exported to. This is because mangoes are very difficult to preserve once they have been collected ripe.

For this reason, in those places where they are not cultivated, the best mangoes would be those that have been collected well matured and have been imported via air transport. However, most mangoes are collected green and immature.

When choosing the best mangoes in the market, you should choose those that are still firm and not mushy or too strong. We can not trust the color because there are many varieties and this characteristic does not determine its degree of ripeness or sweetness. Good knowledgeable base their choice on the aroma. When the mango is soft to the touch without being spongy and gives off a sweet fragrance is that is ripe and ready to eat.

How can a mango be ripened?

To attain this maturation, they are stored in chambers at a constant temperature between 25 and 30 ° C. When stored at lower temperatures, the pulp of the mango becomes dark and the taste is not pleasant.

Sometimes, to advance the maturation, ethylene is used which makes the pulp become darker and with a worse taste.

Where to store ripe mangos?

Ripe mangoes in a basket

Mangoes, when ripe, should be stored outside the refrigerator and only introduced into it a few minutes before eating them so as to eat them cool, which makes them more pleasant. Once ripe, they should be eaten as soon as possible.

Different ways of eating mangoes

The usual way of eating mangoes is to eat it raw, after peeling them, as we do with other fruits . However, the act of peeling a ripe mango is problematic. First of all, it is a fruit that, due to its content of dye, can easily stain you and then it will be difficult to remove any stain in your clothing.

In addition, mango fruit pulp is very slippery and its “meat” is attached to the central fiber. To obtain it, we can do the following:

• Place on a tray: It is best to place it on a tray on its edge and perpendicular to us.

• Divide it in two parts: With a knife, we will separate the two side portions of meat.

• Remove the skin: With a spoon, we will separate the skin from the pulp.

• Choose the mango pulp: Once separated, it can be sliced, diced or eaten with a knife or fork.

What type of meals can a mango be used for?

Tropical salad with mango, goji berries, chia seeds and palm hearts.

• A fresh and mature mango is suitable for the preparation of salads, mixed with other fruits or with other vegetables such as lettuce.

• It also can be crushed and added as a sauce on salads.

• Mango pieces can be part of the morning muesli at breakfast together with cereals and yogurt.

• Ripe mango pieces can be added to soups to provide flavor, color and increase the nutritional value of it.

• This fruit goes well with rice and bananas.

It is something usual in the Western World to eat mangoes only when they are ripe. However. there are many places in Asia, where unripe mangoes are used to make many foods. Normally, they are used in this way to prepare salads with other condiments such as hot peppers or rice vinegar.

Can you make a juice with mango?

Vitaminic juices are made with ripe mangoes to which a little lime juice or pineapple juice can be added.

Mango jam

We can also make jams,, cakes and delicious ice creams, an other very tasty and nutritious preparations, many of them very refreshing in summer.

Mango as a spice in India

Mango pulp, when dried and ground, is used as a spices in Northern India. It has a sour taste and it is used as a substitute for tamarind. It normally appears in vegetables dishes but also to season the meat on the grill and make it more tender.

Among the most popular recipes in this country, we find the spicy mango chutney (mango chutney) which is prepared with green mango, sugar and other fruits (raisins, apples, pineapples, nectarines, nuts, tangerines, etc..) Mixed with other spices (black pepper, ginger, mustard, cinnamon, cloves, apple cider vinegar or garlic).

These ingredients are mixed and allowed to stand overnight. The next morning, they are introduced into a pan and allowed to boil until the mixture thickens. Later, the mixture is cooled and placed in refrigerator. There are many ways to prepare this dish according to the place where it is made.

Mango in the Mexican cuisine

The Mexicans often use this fruit as an ingredient of their hot sauces.

Beware of the mango skin

Mango skin is not edible, and, when green, it can even be toxic.

As well as it occurs with the sap of the branches, leaves or the stem of this fruit, the skin contains a latex that is irritating and can cause blisters on the skin

More information on mango.

Written by Editorial Botanical-online team in charge of content writing

22 April, 2019