Mangifera indica. The common mango. First cultivated thousands of years ago in India, this royal fruit has made its way around the world and into the hearts of those who would otherwise shy away from all things sweet and sticky.
They say money doesn’t grow on trees. That’s fine. Mangoes do, and if I’m on a tropical island I’d rather have a handful of these anyway. Some are yellow, some are orange. Got a green one for your birthday from Aunt Edna? Don’t eat it. It’s not ripe yet.
Mango trees can grow to over 100 feet tall, and their roots can reach 20 feet into the earth. Mango trees over 300 years old have been known to still bear fruit.
You can put ‘em in a smoothie, you can put ‘em on a salad. You can make a chutney with ‘em, you can put ‘em in the sun and dry ‘em. You can put ‘em on your granola or you can pickle ‘em with fish sauce and rice vinegar. If you’re in Andalusia, Spain you don’t even have to eat ‘em. Just hold one in each hand and marvel at their local name. Huevos de Toro, “testicles of the bull”.
But some folks are happy just sitting on the beach, eating a fresh one. That would be us.
Here’s a quick tutorial on how to get jiggy with your mango, Zanzibari Hedgehog Style!
Okay, here we go! Choose your mango. Color varies by geographical location. If you’re new to the area, you may have to engage in a little trial and error to figure out what color means “just ripe”. Squeeze test like you would an avocado. Just a little soft is good. Smell it. If it smells like grass, it will taste like grass. If it smells fermented or clearly past its prime, move on.
Get your favorite sharp knife. The longer the blade the better.
Considering the large size of the mango pit, cut off one side.
Just like TicTacToe. Make your mark.
Flip it open. This is called the “Hedgehog” technique.
Don’t be shy. Get in there and get after it.
Move on to the next side, and eat Hedgehog #2. Things are getting slippery. Do Not. Drop. The Mango.
Carefully work your way around the pit with your knife, removing the rest of the peel.
Now for the pit. You might want to keep some dental floss on hand; some pits are more “stringy” than others.
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