Mango in our A-Z - Cooking Index
Mango in our A-Z - Cooking Index
The mango fruit is a drupe, like nectarines and apricots, a fleshy fruit growing around a long flat seed. The ripened skin may be primarily yellow, or may be multi-hued with orange and red tones.
Mangoes are used in a number of dishes of Asian, Indian and South American origin. Many are familiar with the drink, Mango Lassi, It combines pureed mango, yogurt and honey into a sweet and very popular smoothie drink. Please note mango added to salsas, particularly in Latin countries. Pork stir-fried with mango, or mango served with the popular sticky rice, are well-known Asian dishes.
American recipes suggest adding pureed mango to muffins and cookies. The fruit can either be offered in a dessert such as a mango crisp, or paired with light meats like pork, chicken or shrimp. It is a particularly nice addition to fruit salads and smoothies.
Mango originated in Southeast Asia. Food historians believe the mango has been cultivated for over 4,000 years in the areas in which it was initially found. It is now grown in most countries with tropical or near tropical climates.
Mangoes contain some of the same oils as do poison oak and poison ivy, and some people can have an allergic reaction to the oils on both the fruit skin and the leaves of the tree.
Hapus – also known as Alphonso, this mango is the one that Mumbaikars prefer. It has a thin skin, a unique aroma, an appealing flavour and a delicious pulp.
Payri – is second in terms of preferred flavour. It can be identified by its unique beak at the bottom, its watery, fibrous pulp and colourful skin.
Kesar – is golden in colour and is grown in the Junagad district of Gujarat. This mango is bigger than the Alphonso and has high pulp content.
Rajapuri – is used to make sweet mango pickle. It is popular in Western India and is a very large sized mango. It has a thick skin and a very small seed, has no threads and a pleasure to eat.
Totapuri – is known as the mango of the common man. Big and affordable, it has no flavour of its own.
Lal Baug and Neelam – are from South India and very inexpensive. Cultivated in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, the stone inside them is virtually flat.
Malgoba and Badami – are widely cultivated in Andhra Pradesh. These large and round mangoes are quite affordable and have a distinct taste of their own.
Dashahari – is the most widely cultivated and popular mango of North India.
Langda – is another famous North Indian mango.
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