Mango
Mango is a tropical stone fruit with deeply sweet, fragrant flesh, eaten ripe as a dessert fruit or used unripe and firm in savory salads and pickles across South and Southeast Asian, Latin American, and Caribbean cooking.
How to buy
Judge ripeness by gentle give and fragrance rather than color, since skin color varies widely by variety and isn't a reliable indicator -- some ripen to red-orange, others stay green even when ready. A ripe mango yields slightly to pressure and smells sweet and fruity at the stem end. Unripe, firm green mangoes are intentionally used in salads and pickles and shouldn't be judged by the same ripeness standard.
How to store
Ripen firm mangoes at room temperature, which can take several days; a paper bag speeds the process. Once ripe, refrigerate and use within about five days. Peeled, cut mango freezes very well and is commonly sold frozen for smoothies, retaining much of its flavor and texture. Unripe green mango for salads keeps well refrigerated for a week or more since it isn't actively ripening.
Culinary profile
- Flavor
- Intensely sweet and tropical when ripe, with floral, almost resinous notes that vary by variety -- Ataulfo mangoes are honeyed and less fibrous, while Tommy Atkins is more fibrous with a brighter tang. Unripe green mango is tart, sour, and slightly astringent, prized in savory preparations for that contrast.
- Texture
- Ripe mango is juicy and soft, sometimes fibrous depending on variety, with flesh that clings to a flat, fibrous central pit. Unripe mango is crisp and firm, closer to a crunchy vegetable than a soft fruit, which is why it holds up well in slaws and pickles.
- Aroma
- A heady, tropical, floral fragrance -- one of the most recognizable fruit aromas -- that intensifies dramatically as the fruit ripens and becomes a reliable cue for picking a good one.
How to prepare
- Sliced or cubed ripe — Cut from the pit in cheeks and diced or sliced for eating fresh or topping desserts.
- Shredded green (unripe) — Julienned while still firm and sour for salads and slaws.
- Puréed — Blended into smoothies, lassis, sauces, or sorbet bases.
- Pickled — Unripe mango brined or pickled in vinegar and spices for a tangy condiment.
- Grilled or roasted — Ripe mango halves briefly charred to deepen sweetness and add a smoky edge.
Classic dishes
Mexican
- Mango salsa — Diced ripe mango mixed with chile, lime, and cilantro as a bright topping for grilled fish.
- Mangonada — A chilled mango and chamoy treat layered with chile-lime seasoning, often with mango paleta.
- Mango with chili-lime salt — Mango wedges dusted with Tajín or chile-lime salt, a popular sweet-spicy snack.
Indian
- Mango lassi — A chilled, blended yogurt drink sweetened with ripe mango purée.
- Mango chutney — Mango simmered with vinegar, sugar, and spices into a tangy-sweet condiment.
- Mango achaar — Unripe mango pickled in oil, salt, and spices, a staple condiment across South Asia.
- Aamras — Sweet mango pulp served as a simple dessert, often with roti or puri.
- Mango kulfi — A dense, frozen mango-flavored custard dessert, similar to ice cream.
French
- Mango sorbet — A simple frozen dessert highlighting the fruit's rich, tropical sweetness.
Thai
- Mango sticky rice — Sweet coconut sticky rice served alongside fresh ripe mango slices.
- Green mango salad — Shredded unripe mango tossed with fish sauce, lime, chile, and peanuts.
- Mango salad with shrimp — Ripe or green mango paired with grilled shrimp, chile, and lime for a bright main-course salad.
Vietnamese
- Gỏi xoài (green mango salad) — Shredded green mango tossed with herbs, dried shrimp, and a sweet-sour fish sauce dressing.
Caribbean
- Mango habanero sauce — Ripe mango blended with habanero chile and vinegar into a sweet-hot hot sauce.
Filipino
- Green mango with bagoong — Sliced unripe mango dipped in fermented shrimp paste, a classic Filipino snack.
- Mango float — A no-bake icebox dessert layering ripe mango, cream, and graham crackers.