Mangoes

Key facts

In the Indian sub-continent, the arrival of the Alphonso mango season is greeted much as we rejoice at the first asparagus. Look out for these mangoes in Asian shops in May - they are superb. Mangoes can be used in savoury dishes and salads as well as desserts and smoothies.

When you're standing before a ripe, plump mango and you can feel its soft ripeness and smell its quite overwhelming fragrance, that is a time to rejoice.

Fast jets now mean everybody can enjoy this most luscious and succulent of fruits, with its dazzling orange-yellow flesh. The fruit itself is fragrant, with a custard flavour. That said, a mango is always rather awkward to prepare, but first you need to check that it's ripe. Colour is not an indication: the skins are variously green, red, yellow-orange or even vaguely purple.

As with an avocado, you need to hold the fruit in your hand and feel a 'give' of softness when you exert a little pressure. Smell, too, can help you – the riper it is the heavier the perfume.

Related Recipes

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 Serves 4

Marinated Chicken with Honey and Ginger served with Mango and Sultana Salsa and Saffron-roasted Potatoes

Limes, honey, mangoes, chilli and ginger do wonders for the humble chicken in this light and healthy supper dish, served with gorgeous golden saffron potatoes.

 

 

 Makes 2 pints (1.2 litres)

Lime and Mango Ice Cream

In Thailand, mango is served with lime wedges to squeeze over it, the citrus sharpness cutting through the rich, perfumed flesh of the mango. Here, Delia has combined them to create an ice cream that would be ideal at the end of a Thai meal.

 

 

 Serves 4 as a light lunch or 6 as a starter

Thai Crab Salad with Mango

This is a low-fat variation of Thai Grilled Beef Salad with Grapes. In Thailand they serve it with pomelo, which is very similar to grapefruit. When they’re not available, I use mango, but you could ring the changes with grapes or small segments of p

 

 

 Serves 4

Marinated Chicken with Honey and Ginger served with Mango and Sultana Salsa

This is another quick and easy recipe that's helpful for busy people because it needs to be prepared ahead and can then be cooked alongside Crunchy Roast Potatoes with Saffron at the same temperature. So, in theory, you could come home from work and

 

 

 Makes three 500 ml capacity jars

Mango Chutney

Serve this lovely chunky mango chutney - which is simplicity itself to make - with cold meats, leftover turkey or anything spicy.