Mangoes

Mango (Mangifera Indica) is a year-round tropical fruit that is native to India and nowadays can be found across tropical regions. The fruit has a complex and sweet taste, with notes of peach, coconut, and vanilla or caramel, and is sometimes balanced with a slight tartness.

The succulent, vibrant yellow to orange flesh of mango is aromatic and juicy, with a texture similar to a peach. Depending on the cultivar, mango fruit varies in size, shape, sweetness, skin color, and flesh color which may be pale yellow, gold, green, or orange. In our farm, we grow green-skinned, yellow-fleshed mangoes which are popular in Southeast Asia.

Mangoes are a good source of fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and potassium. They also contain natural enzymes that assist in breaking down proteins.

The fruit is widely used in cuisine. Ripe mangoes can be eaten raw while sour, unripe mangoes are used in chutneys, pickles, and other side dishes. Mango pulp made into jelly or cooked with chilies and served with cooked rice.

Mango lassi is popular throughout South Asia, prepared by mixing ripe mangoes or mango pulp with buttermilk and sugar. Unripe green mangoes are commonly eaten with fish sauce, vinegar, red chilies, garlic, and shrimps or chicken in most parts of Vietnam – a combination usually known as “gỏi xoài” (“mango salad” in English).

Ripe mango is used to make juices, smoothies, ice cream, fruit bars, and pies. Pieces of mango can be mashed and used as a topping on ice cream or blended with milk and ice as milkshakes. In Thailand, sweet glutinous rice is flavored with coconut, then served with sliced mango as a dessert.