Mango, mangga
mangue (French), Mango (German), mango (Italian/Greek/Hebrew/Japanese), mango/manguey (Spanish), manga (Portuguese), ma-muang (Thai), manga/mangas/mam pazham (Tamil), mango/hint kirazi (Turkish), mangu (Arabic), amba/samarbehisht (Persian), aam paka (Hindi/Bengali), tha-yet (Burmese), manga (Malay/Indonesian), mangga (Philippines), mang guo (Chinese)
The mango is among the most delicious of all the tropical fruits; but, when unripened, this “fruit” is used as a vegetable.
Since it is a member of the cashew family, those who react to poison ivy/oak/sumac should eat them with caution as they can produce the same type of allergic reactions, including skin lesions or the more serious swollen lips and tongue. The skin of the fruit contains urushiol, the same chemical found in the other related poisonous plants.
Mangoes are grown throughout the tropics, from the Caribbean to Africa, South-East Asia, Australia, as well as India, where the history of the fruit goes back over 6,000 years and closely connected to the Hindu religion.
The mango was, for a long time, a status symbol in India. One example is when the Moghul Emperor Akbar planted a vast orchard of 100,000 mango trees in the late 16th century. Such cultivation was often left to the perogative of rajas and nawabs.
The Indian mango (Mangifera indica)
is the descendant of a wild tree still found in northeastern part of the country. The tree grows to about eighty feet, becoming woody and untidy with age.
It is but one of almost sixty of the species growing in the region from India east to the Philippines and Papua New Guinea. Nearly half have edible fruits, but the Mangifera indica is considered supreme and survives only in regions where there are clearly defined seasons.
They are most often found in the northern part of southeast Asia rather than in Malaysia and Indonesia, where other species have adapted to that climate. It wasn not until the 19th century that traders introduced the fruit to the West Indies, Africa, South America, Mexico, Florida, and Hawaii.
Even though a large portion of mangoes are grown in these areas, India remains the largest producer, meeting not only her demands, but also exporting a large number.
There are over 2,500 varieties of mango, and all are green when unripe. Some remain green, while other turn golden, bright red, or a combination of these colours.
Mangoes can be round, oval, heart-shaped, or kidney-shaped; and can weigh as little as a few ounces or as much as five pounds.
Their highly aromatic flesh surrounds a very large inedible flat seed. At its best, it has a pleasant resinous quality, but at its worst can smell like kerosene. The soft pulp is juicy and sweet, although it can sometimes has an acid overtone.
Some mangoes have fibrous flesh, while others are buttery all the way through.
Green mangoes
are often cooked and eaten like vegetables or made into a delicious chutney. The green mango can also be dried and ground into a powder called “amchoor” and used to impart a sour flavour to food.
The seeds and their kernel are worthless to westeners, but millions of people value them for food and medicinal uses. The kernels can be boiled and eaten with greens or ground and made into a meal. The starchy kernel can also be eaten roasted, dried, or pickled; but are generally eaten in times of famine or by the poorest. Fresh mangoes are rich in Vitamins A and C and other nutrients.
There are also minor edible species of mango found in Southeast Asia. In Malaysia and Indonesia, binjai
and lanjut are both wild and cultivated. The pungent aroma of the white flesh may be sweet enough in some varieties to be eaten raw.
The horse mango
is also pungent, and the ripe sweet fruits are cooked and made into pickles or sweetmeats.
In Mexico, special mango forks
can be purchased, designed for “mango eating”. They pierce the end of the pit so that it and the fibers can be sucked of their juicy flesh without having the seed squirt out of your hands.
Each country has its preference of the fruit. India prefers varieties that have yellow skins; Europeans prefer ones that are yellow turning red; and Americans prefer those with red skins.
Depending on the variety, flavours will be reminiscent of mint, lemon, banana, or pineapple. However, mangoes do have their own distinct flavour unlike any other fruit.
Some good West Indian varieties include the small Julie and the round, juicy Bombay. Cultivated varieties like the Parvin, Kent, and Tommy Atkins have thinner skins than wild mangoes and are less fibrous. Ruby mangoes, from Gambia, have an excellent flavour, but are rather fibrous.
Some of the more popular varieties include the following while all others are highly prized in their own countries.
Alphonso or Alphonsine
is named for Affonso d’Albuquerque, who was an early governor of the Portuguese territories in western India, and is the variety most often exported from that country. It is small, about four inches long, and kidney-shaped, with a hook at one end. The peel is yellow, with a slight orange blush when ripe. Its brilliant orange flesh is fiber-free, with a deep rich juicy flavour.
Francis
is from Haiti. It is kidney-shaped with yellow skin.
Haden
is from Mexico and suitable for eating fresh or for cooking. An exceptionally large fruit, it is plump and oval, with patches of orange, red, and yellow on a green background.
Keitt
is from the US and is unique in that it is one of the largest and meatiest of all mangoes. It is one where the skin stays green, even when ripe.
Manilla
is from the Philippines, and is yellow-skinned and kidney-shaped.
Manila Super
is a supreme “carabaou” mango that is yellow outside and inside. It has a spicy aroma and short fibers attached to the pit.
Mulgoba (‘makes the mouth water’)
is one of the finest group of mangoes from India.
Sandersha (‘parrot beak’)
is the best for cooking, and named for its sharper oval shape.
Gandaria, ma prang (Thai), kundang (Malay)
(Bouea sp.)
Gandaria is the common name for the best known of the small mango-like fruits borne by trees of this genus. These miniature mangoes vary greatly in edibility, but the best are worth eating. The thin skin is yellow or apricot-coloured when ripe and edible, along with the yellow or orange pulp.
Kuini, Ma-mut (Thai)
(Mangifera odorata)
Kuini is from the same species as the mango, but exudes a harmless sap having a strong resinous smell. This sap is poisonous, however, if the unripened fruits are eaten. Only fruits that are fully ripe should be eaten. The leaves vary in size from six to fourteen inches in length, and the flowers are strongly scented. The kuini is likely native to West Malaysia, where orchards are very common.
