Mangoes 101
Easy mango guide to walk you through the ins and outs of this sweet fruit! You will find everything from how-tos to delicious mango recipes in this post.
Types of mangoes
Let’s dig right in! Who knew there’s more than one type of mango?! As it turns out, there are many different types of mangoes to choose from and you can likely find at least one of these seven kinds at the grocery store year-round, as listed by The National Mango Board.
- Honey (Ataulfo): Sweet and creamy
- Francis: Rich, spicy, and sweet
- Haden: Rich and aromatic
- Keitt: Sweet and fruity
- Kent: Sweet and rich
- Tommy Atkins: Mildly sweet
- Palmer: Mildly sweet
In addition to these varieties, there are a plethora of Indian mangoes to choose from as well! Here are some of the more famous ones:
- Alphonsos: One of the best in India for sweetness and flavor
- Badami : Known as “Alphonso of Karnataka”
- Chaunsa: One of the sweetest mangoes in Northern India
- Dasheri: Famous in Northern India
- Kesar: Known as “Gir Kesar”
- Langra: A superior mango from Northern India
- Mulgoba :Known as the “Alphonso of South India”
- Neelam: Best in June
- Raspuri: Juicy and known as “Queen of the Mangoes”
- Himsagar: One of the top five “must-haves” in India
- Totapuri: One of the main cultivars grown in India
- Benishan
- Mango: Large and known as “King of the Mangoes”
Is Mango Native to India?
There are over 100 countries that currently produce mangoes, however, most of the world’s mangoes come from India! So, it comes as no surprise that the mango is the national fruit of India.
While India is at the forefront of mango distribution, it’s said that mangoes originally came from Asia and then went to the Middle East, East Africa, and South America with travelers around 300 or 400 A.D. From there, they came to the U.S. byways of Mexico, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, Guatemala, and Haiti. There are, however, two ‘races’ of mangoes: one that originated in Asia and another that came about in India.
Benefits of Mango
Did you know that mangoes are a superfood? That means they have enough vitamins (B6, A, and C) and minerals (potassium, magnesium, and copper) to make them a very healthy choice in your diet. If you eat one cup of mangoes, that equals just 100 calories! Mangoes are known to aid in digestion, help with anemia, reduce acne, and promote brain health, among other things!
If you’re looking to gain weight, mangoes can also aid in that area.
How to Pick a Ripe Mango
Want to pick the best mango from the bunch? Use your nose instead of your eyes! Smell is the best way to tell if a mango is ripe or not. If your mango is ripe, it will smell sweet and will be a bit soft to the touch.
How to Ripen a Mango
*So you tried your best, but you picked an unripened mango. It’s okay! There are ways to hurry along the ripening process for your stone fruit.
*Put it in a paper bag or wrapped in newspaper overnight on the counter
*Submerge it in a bowl of rice or popcorn kernels
*Microwave for 10 seconds. PSA: might not taste as great as it normally would
*If you’re in no hurry, just leave it out on the counter at room temperature
How to Cut a Mango
Cutting a mango really depends on how fancy you feel like being. There are two main ways to prepare your mango, the inside-out one you see all over Instagram, and the less fussy way.
Easy: Peel the mango entirely and cut each side off, leaving a thin middle strip where the core is. Dice into cubes and salvage as much as you can from the core middle piece as well.
Fancy: Cut ½ inch away from the core on each side. Like you would an avocado, cut a grid into each side without going through the skin. Flip inside out and serve or spoon out the cubes!
How To Store Mangoes
If you cut up your mangoes in advance, you can store them in your freezer because frozen mangoes make a tasty addition to your morning smoothie! Otherwise, you can store them whole at room temperature on the counter or cut up and in the refrigerator. If you do cut it up and store it in the refrigerator, it’s best to eat within one week.
How To Eat A Mango
By now, you’ve probably gathered that the fleshy yellow inside is the tasty part of the fruit! Do not eat the peel or the stone or you’ll be very disappointed. Once you’ve cut it up one of the ways we’ve suggested, you can add it to a fruit salad, juice, smoothies, tarts, or a more savory approach with rice for dinner. Of course, you can always just cut it up and eat it on its own!
Our Favorite Mango Recipes
We’re sharing two of our very favorite mango recipes with you, so today is your lucky day! Mango Panna, also known as Aam Panna, as well as Mango Kulfi are two perfect summer recipes that the whole family can enjoy!
Aam Panna (Mango Panna)
Cool off with this minty mango concoction! This non-alcoholic drink is perfect for a sunny afternoon or paired with a romantic patio dinner. Once you boil the mangoes, you basically blend everything together and throw over crushed ice. How easy is that?!
Aam Panna Recipe
Ingredients
- 20 mint leaves
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp black salt
- ¼ tsp roasted cumin whole
- 2 mangoes
Instructions
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Boil 2 raw mangoes until soft
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Once cool enough to handle, squeeze out mango pulp
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Blend pulp and spices until well mixed
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Add crushed ice to 4- (12oglasses
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Divide mixture evenly into 4 cups
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Garnish with mint
Mango Kulfi
Step into summer with this sweet mango dessert! Mango Kulfi is a super easy popsicle-like treat that’s easy to prepare and relatively hands-off after you get it all mixed together. The main ingredients include mangoes (obviously), condensed milk, heavy cream, rose water, and pistachios. A super simple recipe to make and it’s so good!
Mango Kulfi Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 can (14oz) condensed milk
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup ricotta cheese
- ¾ cup diced mango
- ½ T rose water
- ¼ cup ground pistachios
- Extra ground pistachios for garnish
Instructions
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Mix cream, milk, ricotta cheese, and rose water
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Prepare molds by sprinkling in ground pistachios and then diced mango – about a Tablespoon each per mold
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Pour prepared kulfi mix into molds
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Freeze
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Garnish with remaining Pistachios
5 responses to Mangoes 101
Thanks
Wish I had the room to plant more Mango trees.
I put a common mango tree in the yard 3 yrs ago_
alas, i bought the wrong variety.
Love your History of the Mango and, recipe.
Looks delicious !
Thank-you.
Honolulu
Oh no!I wish I had a mango tree in my yard too but all I can have the memory of it in my childhood home and all I can enjoy now are the mangoes from teh super market. These are also delicious though 🙂
Thank you for the quintessential information
while most of Indian desserts are served hot or at room temperature, Kulfi is an Indian ice-cream. The charm of the dessert is from the rich, creamy texture and the chewy texture which sets it apart from the usual ice cream
[…] a delicious dish, mangoes are mouthwatering and delicious however you like them. There are over 1000 varieties of mangoes, each with its unique taste, texture, and […]