ALL ABOUT MANGOES

This information first appeared in my book
EAT FRESH, STAY HEALTHY. For in depth articles about fruits and vegetables, with recipes, you can subscribe to my free monthly newsletter.

With recipes for
Mango Sorbet
Mango Ice Cream
Mango Shrimp
Mango-Pork Stir Fry
Mango Taco
Mango Avocado Salad

Today's produce question is: What's the number one consumed fruit in the world? Apples? Good guess. Bananas? Even better, but still wrong. Nope, it's mangoes, consumed worldwide by a factor of three to one over bananas and 10 to one over apples.

There was a time when the only place you could get mangoes in this country was in markets in Latin American neighborhoods. Today, with the increased globalization of cooking in the United States, mangoes can be found in mainstream markets across the country.

But most varieties never make it into the United States because their thin, delicate skin will not survive the heat treatment required by the United States Department of Agriculture to remove potential larvae. Still, there are plenty from Mexico, Brazil and Haiti. Maybe someday the mango will be No. 1 in the United States too.

HISTORY

Mangoes are thought to be native to India, the world’s largest producer. Some suggest specifically that they originated in the Himalayan region. Estimates of their date of origin range from 4,000 to 6,000 years ago.

But knowledge of this wonderful fruit outside the tropical areas of Asia was limited until the 18th century, when it was planted in Brazil and the West Indies. In 1889 the United States Department of Agriculture helped start a mango industry in Florida. Mangoes never became a huge industry in Florida, and what there was got pretty much wiped out by Hurricane Andrew a few years ago.

WHERE GROWN

Mangoes are a staple in the diets of India, Southeast Asia and Latin America. Mexico is far and away the biggest U.S. supplier, followed by Peru, Haiti, Venezuela, Guatemala and Brazil.

Since Hurricane Andrew wiped out most of Florida’s production (mostly Tommy Atkins and Haden varieties), mango production has been reduced to backyard growers selling their "crop" to retailers and wholesalers, mostly for statewide distribution. In California, Sun World, a grower of specialty produce, has done a remarkable job with Kiett mangoes in the Coachella Valley. While the quality is good, production is minuscule by Mexican standards.

VARIETIES

There are hundreds of varieties of mangoes - no one seems to know exactly how many - varying in size from a few inches to ones that weigh as much as five pounds! Most varieties turn yellow as they ripen, but the Kiett and Kent can be green while still ripe, while the inner flesh is the same yellow-orange of other mangoes

Haden is the No. 1 mango in production, distinguished by smooth skin and oval, slight kidney shape. It weighs just under a pound, has a flat, oval pit, bright yellow-orange flesh and firm texture.

The large and plump (about 1 1/4 pounds) Kent is full of juice and meat, with little fiber or string. The flesh is sweet with good tropical flavor.

Tommy Atkins is the brightest mango, distinguished by its red, hard skin. It’s shaped like a Haden, but it’s not as flavorful.

Kiett is a large mango whose weight can reach three pounds, though it averages slightly more than half of that. It is only moderately sweet with juicy, yellow flesh.

The Francisque is a medium-sized, flat mango from Haiti with guava-like flavor qualities. The Van Dyke is a small mango with a distinctive protruding nipple and a pineapple-like flavor. Another small mango is the Atalufo, which has become more popular in recent years.

SEASONS

Not long ago, the mango season lasted only from April to August. Now we can get mangoes virtually year round. From February to October, mangoes come from Mexico and from November to January from Brazil, Peru and Ecuador. Francisque mangoes run from November to August, the Atalufo from March through June, and Van Dykes in June and July.

Mangoes from Mexico are at their peak of production - and thus their lowest price - from May to August. Kietts from Sun World come in during October and November, when mangoes are normally least available.

SELECTION, HANDLING & STORAGE

With the exception of the Kiett and Kent, the less green a mango skin has the better. Look for bright yellow and red hues instead. The Kiett may occasionally have a yellow or orange blush. Smell the stem end for good fragrance.

To check a mango for ripeness, hold it in the palm of your hand and give it a gentle squeeze. It should give slightly.

Mangoes that are allowed into the United States have a thick skin that protects the flesh from most damage. The skin should be taut, not shriveled, however. Don't worry if your mango has a few surface blemishes. Some mangoes have black spots that frighten away some consumers. But they're just a sign that the sugar content is high.

Mangoes should be stored at temperatures between 55 and 65 degrees in a dry place. As with all tropical fruit, whole unripe mangoes should never be stored in the refrigerator. (Unripe mangoes will ripen in 2-3 days when left on a countertop. The Tommy Atkins variety may take up to 5 or 6 days.) Once ripened, mangoes can be stored in the refrigerator but should be consumed within a few days.

NUTRITION

The Federal Drug Administration says that a serving size is one-half a mango, but I can never eat less than one. For a serving of 1/2 a mango, about 104 grams, you’ll get 70 calories, 17 grams of carbohydrates, .5 grams of fat, 1 gram of dietary fiber, 40 % of the Daily Value (formerly RDA) for vitamin A and 15% for vitamin C. Mangoes are also a good source of potassium.

TIP

Here’s another way to ripen mangoes suggested by Indian food authority Madhur Jaffrey. Wrap hard mangoes separately in newspaper and put them in a basket or an open box. Check them every day until they yield to gentle pressure.

YIELD

An average mango yields between 3/4 and 1 cup of useable flesh.

PREPARATION

Mangoes are known to be a messy fruit because they have a large, flat pit and lots of juice. The best way to cut out the flesh, or just eat mangoes out of hand, is to use the "pop up" method. Place the mango with its narrow side on a cutting surface and the length going north-south. Slice through the mango as close to the pit as possible on one side. Then repeat on the other. You now have two, thick mango slices and the pit, surrounded by a small amount of mango flesh.

Take one of the two thick slices and place, skin side down, on a cutting surface. Make vertical and horizontal slashes through the flesh (but not through the skin), as if you were going to play tick-tack-toe. The actual number of cuts will be determined by how big the mango is and how small you want the cut pieces to be.

Hold the sides of the mango slice with each hand and "pop up" the fruit by turning the skin in an inside-out manner. Then eat the fleshy cubes or cut them away for whatever dish you're preparing. If you don’t want cubes, you can scoop out the flesh from each half with a teaspoon. (A serrated grapefruit spoon works especially well.) Peel the skin that remains around the pit and cut away whatever flesh remains attached to the pit, or eat it over the sink. (Indian cookbook author Madhur Jaffrey calls this your "reward" for having struggled with the mango.)

MANGO SORBET

Sorbets are great low-fat desserts. You can minimize the sugar by making sure the mango is dead ripe when you use it.

• 1 tablespoon chopped candied ginger
• 4 ripe mangoes peeled and cut into chunks using the pop-up method
• Sugar syrup (recipe follows)
• Juice of one lemon
• 2 egg whites, whipped until foamy

1) With the motor of a food processor running, add the candied ginger through the feed tube. When the ginger is finely minced, scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the mango flesh. Puree, stopping several times to scrape down the sides of the bowl, until the puree is very smooth.

2) Sweeten mango puree with sugar syrup to taste, about 2/3 cup. It should be quite sweet because when frozen the sorbet will lose some of its sweetness. Also, the degree of the mangoes' ripeness will influence the amount of sugar needed. Add lemon juice, a tablespoon at a time, until you achieve the flavor you desire.

3) Freeze according to your ice cream maker's instructions. Or, put into a shallow pan. When doing the latter, or if making well a head of time, fold in the egg whites, then freeze until solid. Before serving, break up the sorbet and puree in a food processor. 

Serves 4-6.

SUGAR SYRUP

Combine 1 cup water and 2 cups sugar in saucepan and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Boil 30-45 seconds until syrup is clear, stirring to make sure sugar is dissolved. Cool and store in the refrigerator. Makes 2 cups.

MANGO ICE CREAM

Exotic, delicious and low-fat. Eat your heart out, Ben and Jerry.

• 3 medium mangoes, about 3 pounds
• 2 cups low-fat sour cream or non-fat yogurt
• 2/3 cup superfine sugar
• 2 tablespoons tequila liqueur, good quality tequila or orange liqueur

1) Cut mangoes using the pop up method. You should have about 3 cups. Spread cubes or pieces of mango on a cookie sheet just large enough to fit in the freezer. Freeze at least two hours until mango flesh is frozen solid.

2) Puree half the mango flesh with half the sour cream or yogurt, half the sugar and half the tequila. Remove to a shallow bowl or tray and do the same to the remaining ingredients. Freeze about 1 hour or until firm but not rock solid. It should be somewhat soft when served. 

Serves 4-6.

Sam's Cooking Tip: This is also a good way to use up mangoes that are too soft for salads or other dishes.

MANGO SHRIMP

The yin and yang of sweet mangoes and hot peppers is delightful in this dish. For less heat from the peppers, remove the seeds and membranes because that's where most of the heat resides. Or you can use fewer peppers.

Salsa:

• 1 large ripe tomato, cut in 1/4-inch dice
• 2 medium mangoes, cut in 1/2-inch dice
• 2-3 roasted jalapeno peppers, stemmed, seeded and chopped
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 small red bell pepper diced
• 1 small red onion, diced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste'

Shrimp et al:

• 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails left on if desired
• 1/2 cup tequila
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 4 cups cooked basmati rice

1) Make salsa by combining all salsa ingredients. Adjust seasoning to taste by adding more jalapeno peppers (or leaving seeds on), cilantro, salt and pepper. Cover and set aside at room temperature 30-60 minutes.

2) Meanwhile, in a shallow dish, marinate shrimp in tequila 30 minutes. Drain well, reserving tequila. Pat shrimp dry and season well with salt and pepper.

3) In a large, non-stick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and garlic. Shake pan and turn shrimp to cook evenly, about 1 minute on each side. Add tequila and cook 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat.

4) To serve you can either fold in salsa or put the shrimp in a circle with the salsa in the middle. Put over rice with the former method. Serve rice on the side with the latter.

Serves 4.

MANGO PORK STIR FRY

This is a light, quick mid-week for a hard-working couple. Pork tenderloin is also very low in fat, leaner than skinless dark meat chicken, in fact. Chicken may be substituted for the pork in this dish.

• 1 pork tenderloin, about 1/2 pound
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons dry sherry
• 1/2 red bell pepper
• l large clove garlic
• 2 teaspoons fresh ginger
• 1 medium mango
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons peanut oil

1) Cut pork into pieces 1/4-inch thick and about 2 inches long. Mix sesame oil, soy and sherry in a shallow bowl and marinate pork in that mixture 20-30 minutes at room temperature.

2) Meanwhile, cut bell pepper into 1/4-inch-wide strips. Mince garlic and ginger and cut mango using pop up method. (see Preparation) Mango cubes should be about 3/4-inch square. Drain pork, reserving liquid in a cup or small bowl. Add 1/4 cup water to the liquid and mix in cornstarch.

3) Heat peanut oil in a large skillet or wok. When hot, add pork and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add bell pepper and cook 1 minute more.  Add garlic and ginger and cook 1 minute more. Add liquid and stir until mixture just begins to thicken. Add mango and stir gently. Add more water if mixture thickens too quickly. When mango is heated through but still holds its shape, remove from heat and serve over basmati rice. 

Serves 2.

MANGO TACO

This is a fun dish, especially for kids, and a great way to stretch the remains of last night's roast chicken. Don't like playing with tortillas? Try the ingredients mixed together as a salad.

• Eight 6-inch or 8-inch, low-fat flour tortillas
• 1/2 cup low-fat sour cream
• 1 pound shredded, cooked chicken meat
• Kosher salt to taste
• 1 recipe mango salsa (see mango shrimp recipe above)
• 2 cups shredded red cabbage

1) Spread each tortilla with 1 tablespoon sour cream. Spread with 2 ounces chicken. Season with salt to taste. Add 2 tablespoons mango salsa and 1/4 cup cabbage. Fold up.

2) Repeat with remaining tortillas. 

Makes 8 tacos.

MANGO AVOCADO SALAD

Since mangoes are part of the cashew family, a salad garnished with cashews seems entirely appropriate. Peanuts or macadamia nuts may be substituted. Avocados are also at their peak this time of year.

• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon peanut oil
• 1/2 teaspoon minced Chile pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/3 cup chopped tomato
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 2 tablespoons chopped basil or flat-leaf parsley
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 mango
• 1 avocado
• 3 cups frisee or curly endive lettuce, cleaned & cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 ounce toasted cashews, chopped

1) Mix lime, vinegar, soy, oil, Chile, coriander, tomato, cilantro, basil, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.

2) Peel and slice mangoes into 1/4-inch slices. Do the same with the avocado. Put the lettuce on an oval platter. Lay the mango and avocado slices on top, alternating. Pour dressing over and top with chopped cashews. 

Serves 3-4.