Nourishments—

Doing The Mango Tango

By Nancy K. Crevier

I have told my children that when I die, I want them to bury me with a mango. I am not kidding. If there are no mangoes in Heaven, I want to go… somewhere else.

I honestly don’t know how I made it through the first 20 years of my life without tasting one. This oval, thick-skinned tropical fruit in varying shade of rosy reds, gold-tinged greens and cheerful yellows is the epitome of bliss, and not an experience to be missed.

The flesh of a mango is a brilliant golden-orange color, and the flavor is a unique mellow sweetness with just a hint of spice. It is a flavor as exotic as this fruit’s origins in South East Asia 4,000 years ago.

Of the over 1,000 varieties in the world today, mainly in India and Asia, there are only a handful shipped to the United States, and these are generally grown in Mexico, Brazil, Haiti, or Florida. Most familiar to local shoppers is the Tommy Atkins from Florida, a rosy tinted green-skinned variety, and the Kensington variety frequently makes an appearance. Lately a smaller yellow mango from Hawaii has brightened the bins at the supermarket, as well.

As are so many fresh fruits, mangoes are a terrific source of dietary fiber, Vitamin C, potassium and anti-oxidants. But like few others, this fruit contains an enzyme with stomach soothing qualities, and acts as a digestive aid. If you are worried that something that tastes good enough to make you swoon is fattening, fear not. An average-size mango contains only about 110 calories.

If the fruit of a mango was easy to access and dainty to eat, half the joy of eating this tropical fruit would be gone. The buttery soft flesh, tender and excessively juicy, fits snugly inside a tough, pliable skin with an enormous, fibrous pit smack dab in the middle of it.

There are several methods to cutting and eating a mango. One method is to cut off the “cheeks” of the mango on each side. Hold one piece in the palm of your hand, then using a sharp knife, crosshatch the flesh almost through to the skin. (Of the mango, that is, not your hand….) Fold the mango piece inside out and slip the knife between the fruit and the crosshatched pieces, letting them drop into a bowl. Repeat with the remaining pieces.

Or, peel the mango, then slice from end to end and cut the pieces away from the pit. This is a little slippery and messy, but I think it yields the most fruit.

In either case, you are left with a large, drippy pit. All you can do is lean over the sink and suck off the remaining bits as the honey-sweet syrup runs down your chin and into your neckline.  Believe me, you don’t want to just toss out that pit unscathed.

The versatile mango can be tossed into fruit salads, cooked in sauces, or blended into nutritious drinks. Try grilling chunks of mango, pineapple and peach on a skewer. The digestive enzyme makes it a great tenderizing agent when added to marinades for tougher cuts of meat, and fish and chicken warm up to a sauce based on mangoes. 

Thanks to the mango, a little bit of heaven can be added to anyone’s day.

Mango Chutney

2 large, ripe mangoes, peeled and cut into one-inch cubes

½ of a medium yellow onion, diced

1 clove garlic, crushed

Cider vinegar

3–4 Tbs honey

Squeeze of fresh lemon

1 Thai hot pepper or other long, red hot pepper, minced

½ tsp cayenne pepper

2 Tbs minced fresh ginger

Pinch of cloves

¼ tsp ground cumin

¼ C minced fresh cilantro

Salt to taste

Combine all ingredients except for mangoes and cilantro in a medium non-reactive saucepan, using enough vinegar to cover everything. Simmer for about 15 minutes, until onions are tender.

Add mangoes and cook for about 5 minutes. Add more vinegar as needed. Remover from heat and stir in cilantro and salt.

Adjust seasonings to taste. The chutney should be spicy and slightly sweet, not too acidic.

Refrigerate until cool.

Serve with grilled fish or chicken, or spread on a baguette with melted Brie cheese. It is also a classic accompaniment to Indian dishes.

Tropical Fruit Salad

2 mangoes, peeled and pitted

1 orange, peeled and sectioned

1 red grapefruit, peeled and sectioned

1 papaya, peeled, seeded

1 small pineapple, peeled and cored

1 large banana, peeled

2 star fruit, thinly sliced

2 large kiwis, peeled

Cut all fruit into one-inch chunks. Toss together gently.

Top each serving with a dollop of plain yogurt mixed with honey and grated, toasted coconut.