Picture yourself lying in a hammock on a secluded beach in the Caribbean in the shade of a mango tree. A cool breeze gently rocks you back and forth. Keeping you company is a bowl of ripe, peeled mangoes straight from the tree. The fruity aroma alone is enough to keep you happy, but you carefully pick up the most desirable one and take a big bite. The texture is soft like butter and the juice runs down your face and hands as a flavor explosion of peach, pineapple and apricot, fills your mouth. Perfect contentment.
Now I’ve never had the experience I’ve just described, but I sure would like to. There’s just something about mangoes that is exotic, sexy and comforting. It’s no wonder that the mango is known as the “king of fruit” around the world or that it is a symbol of friendship and love. In India offerings of mango leaves are presented at wedding ceremonies to bless the couple with many children and a basket of mangoes is considered a gesture of great friendship. Hindu legend tells the story of the sun princess, Surya Bai, who turned herself into a golden lotus to evade persecution of an evil sorceress. The sorceress became angry when the King fell in love with the lotus, so she burnt it to the ground. Out of the ashes grew a beautiful mango tree. When one of the ripe mangoes fell to the ground, Surya Bai stepped out of the mango and was reunited with the King, her true love.
Native to India and Southeast Asia, mangoes are one of the most widely consumed fresh fruits in the world. The earliest mention of mangoes is in Hindu scripture dating back to 4000 BC. The wild mango originated in the foothills of the Himalayas of India and Burma. By 2000 BC, the mango was cultivated and the flavor developed into the succulent, creamy fruit we enjoy today. Explorers soon introduced the fruit to Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. Next, mangoes were introduced to China with the help of a Chinese traveler who brought them home after a trip to India. Soon mangoes made their way to Baghdad, Persia and landed in Africa about the year 1000. Europe was introduced to mangoes in the 1300s but didn’t fall in love with the fruit like everyone else. By the sixteenth century, Portuguese explorers carried the mango to East and West Africa and Brazil. By the eighteenth century, the mango had made it to the West Indies and by the nineteenth century to Hawaii, Florida, California and Mexico. Today, India is still the world’s largest mango producer although they export very little. Mexico is the largest exporter of mangoes. Most mangoes in the United States are imported from Mexico, Haiti, the Caribbean and South America. With all its worldly travels, it’s not surprising that there are over 1,000 varieties of mangoes today.
The mango tree is an evergreen that can grow to 100 feet tall. Its leaves are thick, shiny, leathery and pointed and grow 8 to 14 inches long. The tree is beautiful, symmetrical and ornamental and known for its cooling shade. Trees can bear fruit after four to six years and will continue to produce for up to 40 years. Mango trees grow best in tropical areas that have a period of hot, dry weather. The fruit grows in clusters from long stems attached to the main branches. A mango tree in season is truly a beautiful sight!
The fruit (or drupe) of the mango tree can be many different colors according to variety. Its thin skin, which is inedible, can be yellow, red, green or any color combination thereof. In the middle of the mango is a long, flat seed that runs most of the length from top to bottom of the fruit. Inside, the fruit has a yellow-orange flesh that is creamy, silky, sweet and sour all at the same time. Typically, the season for mangoes is May through September, although they can still be found out of season, for a heftier price, at specialty grocers.
Mangoes can be purchased in many forms from fresh to canned, pickled, dried, frozen and in the form of mango chutney, which is probably the most well-known of mango dishes. Ripe mangoes can be pureed in a blender and made into smoothies, creamy sauces or added to raw soups. Try diced mangoes over cereal or salad, or make fresh mango sorbet or ice cream. India makes spicy mango pickles and a beverage called Lassi, made with mango, yogurt, sugar, ice and ground cardamom. Unripe mangoes are also eaten. Green mango salad is commonly enjoyed in Southeast Asia, as well as green mangoes sliced and sprinkled with salt.
Choose a mango that yields to gentle pressure much like a peach, with no dark spots or blemishes. A ripe mango will have a fruity, perfume-like aroma emitting from the stem end. Before slicing, it is suggested to wear an apron, as the juice will stain clothing. Stand the mango on the end and slice down each side parallel to the middle seed from stem to bottom, resulting in 2 large slices of fruit and one small slice with the seed in the middle, encased in fruit. Slice the 2 large pieces of fruit criss-cross to the skin but not through. Push the skin up from the outside and pop the mango cubes out of the skin. Then slice the other fruit away from the seed. Mangoes can also be sliced, scooped out with a spoon, or peeled like a banana and put on the end of a fork.
Mangoes can be purchased ripe, but should be refrigerated and used in a few days. Hard mangoes can be placed in a paper bag overnight to ripen or left on the kitchen counter. Mangoes can also be frozen in a sugar syrup for up to a year.
While the smell and taste are what draw most people to mangoes, there are also many health benefits as well. Mangoes are rich in vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants. They are an excellent source of vitamins A and C and a good source of potassium. They are high in fiber, yet low in calories. Mangoes have enzymes that act as a digestive aid and as a tenderizing agent. Therefore, they are excellent when included in marinades.
Maybe I’m not able to enjoy a mango on an exotic Caribbean island, but I can enjoy mangoes on many restaurant menus around St. Louis. It seems our area Chefs have discovered the wonderful flavor that mangoes can add to a dish. Personally, I’m anxiously awaiting the mango season this summer so I can try several recipes I’ve found. I am happy to share a few here with you.
This article appears in March 2024.