Eating my first mango is a moment I will never forget. I was fifteen and we were on a vacation in the Indian Ocean, and the waiter put a bowl of fruit in front of me. It looked like melon, but the smell was so exotic I thought, ‘there’s something different here’. My first bite was surprising and delightful, and the memory is so powerful that seeing, smelling or tasting a fresh mango always brings it back; what a glorious way to think about this fantastic fruit. My children’s first mango experience was not nearly as rich – mangoes were a staple in their baby food, as I had developed a strong attachment them by then – but my boys benefit greatly from their year round availability. Lucky boys. Nevertheless, this is the time of year when super sweet mangoes are available at reasonable prices. So join me in my walk down memory lane and grab a few mangoes for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Come and cook with us.
Mangoes originate in South East Asia where they are known as the “king of fruit”. They have been grown for more than 4,000 years in this region, and are often used as gifts for momentous occasions. Mangoes are packed with potassium, Vitamin A, beta-carotene, and Vitamin C, Vitamin K, calcium, phosphorus and. They’re believed to be a rich source of enzymes, making them ideal to use as a tenderizing agent for your meats (really!) and perfect for marinades.
Choosing mangoes is easy. When they are ripe they have a full, fruity aroma detectable on the stem end. They’re ready to eat when they are slightly soft to the touch and yield to gentle pressure. When serving mangoes to my boys, I cut it “hedgehog” style by slicing off the meaty halves, and make lengthy cross-wise cuts into the fruit meat without cutting the outer skin. When cut like this, the inverted fruit becomes a mango hedgehog that kids (big and small) can dig their teeth into. If it’s adults you’re feeding (or precocious children) serve your mangoes in a lassi prepared by mixing peeled and de-stoned mangoes with yoghurt and some water or milk and ice. Simple, yet so delicious. If it’s sophistication you are looking for, though, try my mango salsa with pulled pork. It’s a crowd pleaser.
One final note about the mango to know is that mangoes are on the Environmental Working Group’s list of twelve foods least contaminated by pesticides. So if you want to save money consider skipping organic with this delicious fruit. Come and cook with us!
Charlie Palmer’s Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Mango Salsa
Come and Cook with Us 