I like mangoes. I’ve always liked mangoes. In fact, I’ve featured them on this blog. Here… Here… and Here. I always thought there were just two types of mango. The big egg-shaped mango and the smaller comma-shaped mango. Or in my layman’s terms the Hawaiian mango and the Mexican mango. But I’ve recently discovered that someone’s been holding out on me. There’s also an Indian mango more appropriately called Alphonso mango. All I can say is I hope you seek this mango out. I bought some at an Indian market and I can honestly say the Alphonso mango is now my favorite mango. It’s unbeatable for its buttery flesh, incredible fragrance, and perfectly balanced sweetness.
Alphonso Mango
The Alphonso mango does have a downside. The price. They can cost as much as $4 apiece. But don’t let that stop you. If you can find one buy one. Better yet, buy a dozen. If ever there was a fruit to teach us the art of living in the moment, it’s the Indian mango. The season is fleeting (from now until the end of June) and supplies are often limited so don’t dilly-dally. Seize the day, be brave and buy a bunch when they’re still unripe and green. Then watch as they change color dramatically, transforming from a hard and sour fruit into something golden-hued and altogether richer and sweeter than any mango you’ve ever tasted.
If you find you have too many mangoes ripening all at once, go ahead and pickle some of them. I did in this (spicy-pricey) Pickled Mango Salad with Thai Bird Chile. GREG
Work over a bowl as you shave the mangoes to capture the juice.
Ingredients
- ½ red onion (peeled and thinly sliced )
- 2 fresh lime (juice only)
- 2–3 large ripe but firm alphonso mangoes (or other type mango)
- 1–2 Thai bird chile (or more to taste)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- freshly cracked black pepper (to taste)
- 1–2 tablespoon granulated sugar
Directions
Place onion in a medium bowl and add lime juice.
Using a vegetable peeler, peel mangoes: discard peel. Carefully shave mangoes top to bottom to create long, thin ribbons.
Place mango ribbons in the bowl with onion, and add chile, salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Toss to coat. Add 1 tablespoon sugar, and toss again. Taste for sweetness and add additional sugar and captured mango juice to taste. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours and or up to 2 days.
Oh I must try this recipe. They are such slippery things once peeled…how in the world did you slice them so thinly?
I used a veg peeler. GREG
I love Mangoes! Now my interest is piqued and I’m hoping to come across some of these Alphonso mangoes in Central Texas while the season is active. Your pickled mango salad recipe sounds wonderful and it makes me think of summer with that golden color!
I love mango, and have never heard of pickling them. Sounds fantastic!
Pickled mangoes are so good…love the Thai chilies and lime your version. A must try.
By complete coincidence, I saw these mangoes at Eataly in New York yesterday after reading your post. I was tempted to buy one, as they were only $2.75, but I have no kitchen, no vegetable peeler – and no knife! I wonder if these are the same mangoes we call “champagne” mangoe that come from Mexico.
Oh my! Another food I’ll probably never find where I live… But i’m sure I can pickle the Mexican variety — this recipe is fantastic!
If you hadn’t posted the photo I wouldn’t have thought I’d met Alphonse. But I think he is at my grocer! I love mangoes and will welcome him to my home!
Greg, I am having difficulty posting on your site. I can only do it from my desktop computer not from my Ipad. I love mangos and I love this recipe. Right now I am obsessed with Kohlrabi, maybe I will try pickling them using your recipe.
Greg, these mangos look a lot like the ones I saw in the store today. I am going to pickle mangos as soon as I buy them. Right now I am obsessed with Kohlrabi , maybe I should try to pickle them too using your recipe.
What an interesting Mango, thank you for the intro. Apparently, Toronto is home to world’s widest variety of mangos, go figure! I had no idea we have access to 15 varieties of mangos in The Six! I usually only get one or two mangos at once, I love adding them to a slaw I like to make but pickling them would certainly increase their season, what a great idea.