2013-04-16 10:05:26 +02:00

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foodanddrink
recipes
5313713
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# Cooking with mangoes
## Now is the time to snap up Alphonso mangoes with their exotic scent and
ambrosial saffron-yellow flesh.
![Magnificent mangoes: spive up barbecued fish with mango salsa; and finish
off with mango with raspberries and sesame snaps][1]
Fruit of the gods: spive up barbecued fish with mango salsa; and finish off
with mango with raspberries and sesame snaps Photo: JAY WILLIAMS
By Xanthe Clay 12:05PM BST 13 May 2009
[Comments][2]
Whoever first said that mangoes should be eaten in the bath was thinking of an
Indian Alphonso mango. Unlike the insipid supermarket fruits, usually Kent,
Keitt or Tommy Atkins varieties, Alphonsos taste like a holiday in the
tropics, ambrosial with slippery saffron-yellow flesh and dripping with sticky
juice.
Their excellence is largely down to variety, but the shipping plays a part,
too. Most supermarket fruit is grown in the Americas and harvested underripe
to survive a sea voyage.
In contrast, Alphonsos are picked ripe, already soft and richly sweet. They
last only a few days, so to get them here in decent condition they are sent by
air. Now, food miles matter to me. But, I'd rather have one Alphonso than 30
dull Kents or Keitts. Sometimes, it's worth the carbon footprint.
You will probably have to hunt down Alphonsos in ethnic shops, where they are
packed tenderly in boxes of shredded paper. Once you have your haul, eat them
plain. Even a squeeze of lime juice detracts from their perfect balance. The
brief Alphonso season is over quickly (it finishes at the end of May). IF you
can't find any, the everyday mangoes have a mellowness which takes well to
other flavours and is perfect for recipes.
Choose fruit with a bit of give when squeezed, but no bruising. Some varieties
are green even when ripe, so colour doesn't indicate ripeness. Levels of
sweetness vary, so taste them adding extra lime juice, sugar or honey to suit.
And there is nothing stopping you eating it in the bath, if you really want
to.
## Related Articles
* [Lime and coconut rice pudding with mango][3]
13 May 2009
* [Mango with raspberries and sesame snaps][4]
13 May 2009
* [Calves' liver with mango and Madeira][5]
13 May 2009
* [Mango, chilli and coriander salsa][6]
13 May 2009
* [xanthe.clay@telegraph.co.uk][7]
**How to cut up a mango **
* First, imagine the anatomy of the mango. Lie the fruit down as it sits
naturally, like a big yellow pebble. The large, flat stone lies horizontally
inside the mango.
* Turn the mango on its narrow side, so the stone is now vertical and,
cutting just slightly to one side of centre, slice the cheeks of flesh off
each side of the stone.
* This will leave the cook's perk, a narrow band of flesh around the stone,
sweet but usually rather fibrous. Suck it straight off the stone, then wash
your face.
* The neatest way to slice or cube the mango "cheeks" is to use a potato
peeler to take off the skin, then cut the flesh with a knife.
* Quicker, and more appreciated by children, is a mango hedgehog. Hold the
mango cheek in one hand, skin side down, and slice through the flesh in a grid
pattern, being careful not to cut through the skin. Push the cheek inside out
so that the cubes stand out in a dome shape. Eat with a spoon.
**Mouth-watering mangoes **
* Alphonso - the king of mangoes, with a perfumed "parma violets" flavour,
and saffron yellow flesh that's almost custard-soft.
* Julie - Jamaica's top mango, sweet and tangy with a pineapple flavour
* Keitt and Kent are the supermarkets' favourites - they travel well and are
bred in Florida to resist bruising. At best, dull but serviceable
* Tommy Atkins - similar to Kent, but often unpleasantly fibrous. Best
avoided.
* Badami - pale yellow flesh and a mild, lemony taste
* Kaysa - if Alphonso is the King, then Kaysa is the Queen. Highly rated
Indian mango
* Sindhri - with a season starting straight after Alphonsos, this honeyed
mango from Pakistan is ultra-sweet
**Quick ideas for mango**
* Mango lassi - for this Indian-style smoothie, place the flesh of a ripe
mango in a blender with a small carton of plain yogurt, a handful of ice cubes
and a pinch of ground cardamom, and mix. Add a little sugar or a pinch of salt
to taste.
* Mango sorbet - puree the flesh of three ripe mangoes with 8oz/225g icing
sugar and the juice of two limes. Taste and add more lime juice if needed,
then freeze in an ice cream maker or else in a plastic box, stirring well
every hour or so, until smooth.
* Grilled mango - dust slices of mango with icing sugar and cook under a
preheated grill until browned and bubbling. Serve with lime wedges and vanilla
ice cream.
* Mango and passion fruit yogurt - chop a ripe mango and mix with the flesh
of 2-3 passionfruit (wrinkly ones are riper and sweeter). Add a few tiny
leaves of mint and divide between four glasses. Top with Greek yogurt, a swirl
of honey and more mint, and eat it for breakfast.
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