Brand chef of the Family Garden restaurant holding company
“Mango season in Russia is in autumn. This fruit with a bright taste and rich aroma goes well with a variety of ingredients: it can be used to prepare desserts, snacks, salads and even cold soups. The main thing is to choose fresh and ripe fruit in the store.”
What we will tell you about:
Interesting facts about mangoes.
There are currently more than 2,000 varieties of the fruit. The fruits differ in colour (green, yellow, red and orange), size (from 200 to 700 g) and organoleptic nuances.
Most often, the flavor of this exotic fruit includes notes of peach, coconut, plum, pineapple and honey, although to some it may even resemble pumpkin pie.
In some countries, legends and customs are associated with mangoes. For example, in India there is a belief that it was under the mango tree that Buddha meditated, and as a sign of friendship and respect it is customary to give a basket of ripe yellow fruits.
Photo: istockphoto.com/Nattawat Jindamaneesirikul
Mango is a very valuable product in terms of health benefits. The fruits contain many vitamins C, B1, B2, B6, as well as carotenoids, fiber, niacin, potassium, zeaxanthin and lutein.
Regular use of the product helps to increase resistance to stress, maintain visual acuity, radiant skin color, healthy hair and helps maintain optimal blood cholesterol levels. In addition, the fruit contains dietary fiber, which stimulates the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and normalizes digestion.
What kind of mango can be found on Russian shelves?
The entire variety of mango varieties can be divided into two main groups: Indochinese (greenish) and Indian (yellow and orange).
In Russia, fruits of seven varieties are most commonly found, which come mainly from Costa Rica, Egypt, Thailand, Brazil and Israel.
The easiest way to identify mango varieties is by their color and harvest season.
green mango
Kate. One of the most popular varieties comes from Egypt. The fruits are juicy, sweet, with a velvety texture. The harvest season is in autumn.
yellow mango
Keo. The elongated, juicy, sweet and slightly acidic fruits are harvested in winter and spring. The round, very sweet and rather large fruits reach maturity in late spring.
orange mango
Kat Chu. The same Thai mango: sweet and juicy. Ripe fruits are picked in the spring months.Kaen Oan. Another Thai variety that is distinguished by the presence of pink barrels and a rich peach flavor. The harvest season begins in mid-autumn.
Photo: istockphoto.com/Evgeniia Siiankovskaia
red mango
Kent. Fruits with red, rounded sides, tender pulp and no coarse fibers are brought from Peru. Harvest begins in summer.Shelley. An Israeli variety with a delicate texture and flavor reminiscent of both apricot and ice cream. You can start looking on the shelves in August.
How to choose a ripe mango?
Most often, mangoes are picked at the stage of technical ripeness, when they are still quite hard and not the tastiest, but in this state the fruits are stored better and can be easily transported to other countries. Exotic fruits are already ripening on the road or on the shelves.
To choose a fruit that you can eat on the day of purchase, pay attention to several characteristics:
Smell. Closer to the stem, the aroma should be more intense. Ripe fresh fruit smells pleasant, green fruit has virtually no smell, but overripe fruit will give off notes of fermentation or even alcohol.
Appearance. You should not focus on the colour of the mango, as it depends on the variety: even a deep green fruit can be ripe and tasty. The shape is much more important: the fruit should be round and smooth. The presence of wrinkles indicates that the mango was picked from the tree too early.
Photo: istockphoto.com/Rommel Gonzalez
Also pay attention to the presence of small dark spots on the peel – they are considered a sign of ripeness. If you find a large dark spot closer to the stem, set the fruit aside – most likely it is already overripe.
Texture. Ripe fresh fruit has a dry, stretchy skin and a dense flesh. Try pressing the mango gently with your palm. If it’s a little soft you can pick it up, but if it’s completely hard it’s best to let the fruit stay put. Overripe or rotten fruit often has a sticky skin that can break when pressed.
Methods for storing mangoes.
Ripe fruit does not last long, no more than five days. It is best to place it in a bag or container with holes and place it on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. Remember to turn the fruit over from time to time to prevent rotting. Alternatively, mangoes can be peeled, diced and frozen, thus preserving their flavour and aroma.
Read also:
How to properly peel mangoes at home? Step-by-step instructions from a toxicologist.
If you find unripe fruit, try to speed up its ripening. Place the fruit in a dark bag along with apples or bananas and leave it at room temperature for a couple of days. You can also wrap the mango in paper or cover it with dry rice. Important: check the fruit from time to time; in warm conditions it can ripen very quickly.
How to serve mango?
It is best to eat mango fresh – this way the taste and aroma will remain unchanged, and vitamins and minerals will be fully preserved. To carefully peel and cut the fruit, you need:
Wash it well; then place the flatter side in the palm of your hand and cut it in half lengthwise, pressing the knife firmly against the pit; run the knife along the other side of the pit to separate the second half from the flesh; cut the inside of each half to peel lengthwise and crosswise, turn the peel inward and scoop out the flesh with a spoon.
Photo: istockphoto.com/Arx0nt
Mango recipes from the chef
Chefs around the world love mango pulp for its bright flavour and delicate texture, so many dishes can be prepared with this exotic fruit.
Green buckwheat with spinach, coconut and mango
Ingredients:
green buckwheat – 120 g; coconut cream – 50 ml; spinach – 50 g; mango – 1 pc.; sugar, salt – to taste.
Photo: 13.familygardengroup.ru
Cooking method
Rinse the green buckwheat, pour boiling water over it and leave it for half an hour to swell. Peel the mango, cut it into cubes with a knife until it crumbles, drain the remaining water from the buckwheat, place the swollen cereal in a blender together with coconut cream and spinach, grind until smooth. Turn the porridge to taste with sugar and salt. Place on a plate, decorate with mango pieces and halva crumbs.
Read also:
What are the benefits of mangoes and how much can you eat per day? Nutritionist Answers
Halloumi, mango and tomato salad
Salad ingredients:
halloumi – 80 g; pink tomato – 1 pc; cilantro, parsley, dill – 20 g; red onion – 0.5 heads;
For training:
olive oil – 2 tbsp. l; honey – 1 tsp; soy sauce – 1 tbsp. l.; orange juice – 2 tbsp. l; fresh ginger – 15 g; salt – to taste.
Photo: 13.familygardengroup.ru
Cooking method:
Slice the tomatoes, dice the mango, cut the onion into strips, finely chop the vegetables. For the dressing, grate the ginger and mix with all the other ingredients. Cut the halloumi into small slices and burn with a blowtorch on all sides. For the salad: mix the vegetables and season with the dressing, sprinkle with coriander and place the halloumi on top.
Do you want to receive more tips and tricks for a healthy lifestyle?
Subscribe to the weekly Lifestyle newsletter.
Subscribe by email
