Mangoes

Mangoes are fruit native to India. 19^th century traders introduced the fruit to the West Indies, Africa and South America. Today mangoes are now grown in many tropical climate countries across the globe.

The fruit ranges in colour from green to golden yellow and orange-red and flesh is juicy, surrounding a large flat inedible flat stone. Some mangoes have fibrous flesh; others are succulent and buttery.

Different varieties of mangoes are grown over the Tropics, they also varies greatly in size and shape. They can be round, heart or kidney shaped, or even long and thin. They can weigh between 150g to 1kilogram.

All mangoes are green when unripe, but some remain green when they ripen while most of the mangoes turn golden or bright red or a combination of these colours.

Ripe mangoes are best eaten fresh, but can be pureed to make ice creams, sorbet and drinks. mangoes can also made into jam, juice and jellys and preserves.

They make an exotic addition to fruit salad. A simple dessert combining mango slices with banana or other fruit with a sauce of honey,orange juice and perhaps yoghurt is a very attractive dessert.

Mangoes are the most delicious and luxurious of tropical fruit but when they are not of fine quality the flesh can be disagreeably fibrous with a flavour of turpentine, so here are some tips when buying mangoes to guide you in getting the best quality.

What to look for:

Buy firm mangoes with no wilting, greyish, discoloration or black spots on the skin, because this will indicate that the fruit is overripe and will have a mushy flesh. It is also an indication that the flesh is bruised.

When buying a mango look for on with flesh that yields slightly when you press it gently. It should have an orange or reddish skin.

Smell before buying, the best test of a mango is the aroma, it should have a flowery, perfumed fragrance which indicated that the mango is ripe and flavoursome.

Mangoes will ripen at home at room temperature, but will only keep for a day or two when fully ripe.

Ripe mangoes are rich source of vitamin A and C and a good source of beta carotene. They provide about 50 kilocalories per 100g.

• Stand the mango upright.

• Using a sharp paring knife, make two vertical slices one on each side. (the sides are also called cheeks.) this is to remove the fruit from the large stone.

• Cut off the flesh adhering to the stone.

• You can now, scoop out the flesh from the mango slices you can use a spoon to scoop the flesh and serve.

To make a hedgehog :

• Prepare the mango as above .

• Score the flesh into a crisscross pattern, cutting down only to the skin but not through it.
• You can push the skin inside out so the cubes of the flesh pop out.
• Repeat the process with the other side of the mango.

Dried Mangoes: mangoes can be preserved by drying, one of the most successful industry in Cebu City, Philippines is the Dried Mangoes business.

It is a nutritious and convenient snack and Philippine dried mangoes are exported in many countries around the world.

Canned Mangoes: Mango slices are now available canned in syrup. These are extremely sweet and are best drained before eating. They can also be pureed to make ice cream

• Yummy Mango Ice Cream

  This is a simple and easy dessert recipe that you will love to make, especially now that it is summer and there are plenty of mangoes.