Mangos
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Mangos
are similar to peaches. They
should be very sweet and juicy. Low-quality (but not
rotten or unripe) mangos are fibrous and have a turpentine
smell.
Mangos do not keep well.
Non-rotten fresh ripe mangos are very rare. Many mangos
start rotting right on the tree. The sliced mango in the
picture has in fact just started to rot, as you can see by
the dark-appearing translucent area. This mango would have
a bit of a funny smell, vaguely like plastic or some sort
of cleaning fluid. The translucent area is starting to liquefy.
An unripe mango is crunchy, pale yellow on the inside, and
not very sweet. Mangos should not have dark spots on the
side; these indicate that the mango has started to rot.
Mangos generally rot from the non-stem end, from the seed
or pit, and from any dark spots on the outside. Black
fibers indicate a different sort of rot, also bad.
When purchasing a mango,
obviously avoid any signs of rot. A mango should feel
solid, but not really hard. A mango should have a
noticable good smell. The small elongated variety with a
pointy end will generally be of better quality than the
larger and more rounded type.
There are many ingenious
ways to open a mango, most failing to let you examine the
mango for bad spots. (you can take off the sides and then
flip them inside out for example) The more-or-less obvious
method is best. Slice off the stem end with a sharp knife.
Next, use the knife to help you peel the mango. Dig the
knife in a bit at the stem-end cut, creating a pull tab.
Peel away from this tab. Repeat all the way around the
stem end, then elsewhere as needed. Be gentle in holding
the fruit as you do this. Next, notice the symetry. A
mango contains a large flat seed that divides the fruit
into two halves. Slide the knife along each side of the
seed, cutting the fruit into three pieces. Cut away and
discard any translucent areas. If you had to discard
anything, rinse the remaining part to get rid of juices
from the rotten part. Chop up the fruit as desired. The
middle section may give you trouble; if it is good then
you might just gnaw it from the seed.
Cooked mangos lose the
characteristic mango smell and flavor. This can be
desirable if you want a mush that tastes like sweet
potatoes. You could serve cooked mangos with meat.
Green mangos are
sometimes used in cooking. The whole mango may be chopped
or thinly sliced, including the skin and seed.
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