Mangos make a delicious, nutritious addition to your summer fare — are they on your shopping list?
Although they're surprisingly simple to use, many consumers shy away from mangos, not knowing how to cut them or how to use them.
This versatile tropical fruit is said to have originated in Southeast Asia and India, with India producing more mangos than any other fruit. The Caribbean and Latin American countries also produce and export large numbers of the fruit. Since mangos need a tropical climate in order to grow well, most mangos are grown near the equator in countries like Mexico, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, Guatemala and Haiti. A few places in the U.S. grow mangos, including Florida, California and Hawaii. While production is limited in California, much of the state's mango production is devoted to producing organic mangos.
Choose mangos that yield slightly to gentle pressure with your finger. The skin should show a hint of red or orange color to indicate good ripeness (fully green mangos will not ripen well).
To prepare, place the mango stem-side down on the counter. Turn the narrow end toward you and slice vertically down the right side of the mango (to avoid the large, flat, oval stone in the center).
Slice straight vertically down the opposing side. Next, turn the mango so one cut side is facing you.
You can cut a small arch, around the stone on both remaining sides to get a little more off. After this, you can remove the skin from the cut pieces with a paring knife. Visit http://www.mango.org to watch a video of how to slice a mango and learn more. Alternatively, you can purchase a mango cutter, which easily cuts around the stone and removes the skin with one simple tool.
Mangos are delicious in many dishes or as a stand-alone snack. One cup of sliced mango provides about 107 calories, 28 grams of carbohydrate, 3 grams of fiber, 1 gram of protein and 0.5 gram of fat (mostly unsaturated — the healthy fat). Mangos provide you with beta carotene, vitamin C, Vitamin B6 and some vitamin E.
Here are some great ways to enjoy mango:
+ Pureed, it makes a great food for babies. Try blended with pureed bananas once a baby reaches about 7 months old.
+ Buy frozen sliced mangos and use in smoothies or give frozen slices to kids as a treat.
+ Dice fresh mango and serve atop cottage cheese or mixed in plain or vanilla yogurt.
+ Make a fresh salsa like this one, by Ellie Krieger, registered dietitian and Food Network star. Mango salsa: Combine 1 mango, peeled and diced, ½ cup of diced peeled cucumber, 1 tbsp. finely chopped jalapeno, 1/3 cup of diced red onion, 1 tbsp. lime juice and 1/3 cup of roughly chopped cilantro leaves. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
+ Look for mango nectar. Pour a little in a glass and top with club soda for a refreshing spritzer.
+ Sautee chicken. Then add sliced red onion and sautee for a couple minutes. Add a splash of orange juice and mango slices and simmer. If you wish it thicker, dissolve a little cornstarch in hot water and add to the pan.
+ Top a green salad with mango cubes, slivered almonds, goat cheese and lime vinaigrette.
+ Try fresh mango slices topped with a dallop of ricotta cheese and fresh mint for a delicious summer dessert.
No matter how you take it, mango will surely add a colorful, sweet and nutritious pop to your next summer dish.
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