Mangoes - "King of Fruit' are insanely good for you

How to choose and cut a mango
The best way by far is to simply eat the mango after cutting it expertly as shown below. Recipes to follow.

Mango - Childers Queensland  Australia- in mid January
it was so dry the grass was crunchy beneath my feet.
Two weeks later the area is in flood.
 

Mangoes  - Noosaville Markets

 

Is it ripe?  You can't always judge the ripeness by colour as they come in many hues depending on variety. The best flavored fruit have a yellow tinge when ripe; however, color may be red, yellow, green, orange or any combination.

 

Ripeness of mangoes can be determined by either smelling or by gently squeezing. A ripe mango will have a full, fruity aroma emitting from the stem end and can be considered ready to eat when slightly soft to the touch and yielding to gentle pressure, like a ripe peach. 
 
Cutting a Mango can be a slimy, slippery challenge. The best way to go about it is to start first with a ripe, but still firm fruit. If the mango is too ripe, it will be a mushy mess, and hard to cut into pieces, though easy enough to scoop out for pulp.

Cubes

Holding the mango with one hand, stand it on its end, stem side down. With a sharp knife in your other hand, cut from the top of the mango, down one side of the pit. Then repeat with the other side. You should end up with three pieces - two halves, and a middle section that includes the pit.

Take a mango half and use a knife to make lengthwise and crosswise cuts in it, but try not to cut through the peel. Using your fingers on the skin side, raise the fruit cubes into eating or cutting position. Simply serve and eat the fruit or for a salad peel off the segments with your fingers. Or use a small paring knife to cut away the pieces from the peel.
Take the mango piece with the pit, lay it flat on the cutting board. Use a paring knife to cut out the pit and remove the peel.  Some simply eat this section holding it over the sink as you eat.
 

For easy slices cut off cheeks as above then slice lengthways

Or using a sharp thin-bladed knife, cut off both ends of the fruit. Place fruit on flat end and cut away peel from top to bottom along curvature of the fruit.Cut fruit into slices by carving lengthwise along the pit.

 

 Nutrition - They are high in fiber and antioxidants and are rich in Vitamin A, C, E, B6 and potassium. They have been found to protect against colon, breast, leukemia and prostate cancers and promote heart health and lower blood pressure.

 

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