Most people I know are ready to let go of winter now. We had plenty of beautiful snowy days, and plenty of below zero temps. People have got skiing and sledding and hot cocoa overload, and it’s time to switch gears to spring. This week has been lovely, the first week where it’s really kind of warm, and daylight saving has made it light out longer. For foods at this time of year, I really like to speed up the process of spring by using as much tropical fruit as I can. Especially for those of us who don’t have a tropical vacation every spring, adding these lovely colors and exotic sweet flavors to your dinner table can help you imagine yourself on a beautiful white sand beach in the Caribbean, even though fog consumes everything outdoors for the next few weeks. Mangoes are one of my absolute favorite fruits, and they are usually a real crowd pleaser. They are incredibly well-rounded, and can serve a place in both sweet and savory dishes.
The mango fruit originates in the Indian subcontinent, and belongs to the Mangifera genus along with many other tropical fruits. They reached East Asia somewhere between the 4th and 5th century B.C. Mangoes made their way to East Africa, Mogadishu, Brazil, the West Indies and Mexico, all warm and appropriate climates for the mango tree to flourish.
Mangoes look something like a giant jellybean, and have a green or reddish skin. To peel a mango, you hold it upright and aim your newly sharpened knife as close to the large bone (or stone, or pit) in the fruit you can, and shave alongside it on both sides. Then, with your knife, score the segments into squares the size you wish for your dish, and then pop them out with your knife. A mango is ripe when the flesh is somewhat soft to the touch, and it may have a reddened hue. If the mango is rock hard, it will need to ripen longer, and if it is mushy or yellow, it is most likely spoiled. Unripened mangoes can be kept at room temperature to achieve ripeness, and this can take up to a week. Putting them in a paper bar may speed the ripening process, but they will not ripen in temperatures colder than 55 degrees, so to store them for a more extended period of time, they can be kept in your crisper in the fridge for up to two weeks. Mangos can also be cut and frozen for a quick addition to smoothies or ice cream, or canned if you somehow manage to get your mitts on a plethora of mangoes for really inexpensive.
Mango peels contain urushiol, the chemical that is in poison ivy and poison sumac, and it can cause dermatitis in people who are sensitive to those plants. The Urushiol is present in the mango itself, as well as its leaves and stems.
Mangoes are referred to as the “King of fruit” in many countries. They are related to the cashew family which includes the pistachio tree. The Mango tree is a symbol of love in some countries, and the leaves of the mango tree are used in wedding ceremonies to symbolize the children the couple will have.
Mangoes are not only easy on the eyes, along with its beautiful orange color, it is also a superfood. They contain only 130 calories for one medium mango, and only 0.5 grams of fat. 100% of your daily Vitamin C, 35% of Vitamin A, and contain about 3 grams of fiber per cup. They join many other orange and yellow fruits and veggies in holding a great supply of beta carotene in there flesh. They contain over 20 other vitamins and minerals that add to their appeal. We’ve all read and heard that we need to get at least 5 and up to ten servings of fruit and vegetables a day, and mangoes make that challenge a little more exciting than sticking to just apples and bananas.
There are so many possibilities for culinary experimentation with mangoes, it’s hard to pick a starting point for suggestions. They can be added to salads to add a tropical flair, or added to yogurt or oatmeal with honey. They can be put in muffins or scones with raspberries or coconut, or in a cheesecake for a deliciously creamy sweet mango confection. Mangoes are also great on fish with chutney, or on meats like chicken or beef. They are my all-time favorite addition to a smoothie, where I blend yogurt, a cup of mango, a cup of raspberries and blueberries and a tablespoon of honey. It meets all your daily requirements for fruit too! They are a beautiful and versatile fruit, and are also really amazing for your health, so do some experimenting with mangoes and see what you can come up with!
I like to make a lot of variations of salads with mangoes, and recently I was making enchiladas and wanted to come up with a side based on what was in my kitchen already, and I came up with this mango pineapple salad. At first it seemed a little random, but I thought it turned out really tasty! It makes a good light spring or summer side dish, and it’s really healthy too, which is always a bonus.
Mango and pineapple salad
-1 whole mango, cut and cubed
-1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained
-1 cup of whole kernel corn, frozen, fresh or canned
-1/3 cup fresh cilantro
-1 cup cubed pineapple
-1/2 cup red onion, sliced
-2 T. lime juice, bottled or fresh
-2 T. Apple cider vinegar
-1/4 t. salt
Directions: combine all ingredients in a bowl and gently toss together.
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