Mighty Mango

I've been playing around with different ingredients lately, and it seems as though one of my recent favorites has been mango.  How do I know this?  Because mango has found its way into just about everything I've cooked for the last week or so.  From mango muffins, mango with pasta, mango in rice, mango in quinoa, mango in yogurt, to mango all by itself, I'm finding that mango is quite the versatile fruit.

There's something about the mighty mango that seems to fit into just about any dish you can think of, from sweet to savory.  The flavor is a little tangy, with a citrus feel with a perfect balance of sweet.  When you first try it, you discover it has a flavor all its own.  If you've ever tried to break down a fresh mango, you find that there is some technique involved because the flesh can be stringy when pulled away from its seed, but perfectly soft and chewable when cubed.  Its also a very juicy fruit so if you find yourself struggling with cutting it up, you'll definitely make a mess.

The seed of the mango is flat, so when you cut it up, you have to basically cut, from the side of the center down, with the seed perpendicular to your body.  Then you hold the half-mango in the palm of your hand (skin in your palm, flesh facing up) and dice the flesh with a knife, then turn the skin inside out to see the cubed pieces standing like buildings.  Finally, you shave the cubes off the skin.  Much less mess and a fairly simple skill to master.

Mango cooks nicely without mushing or breaking down too far, it holds its shape well.  I wish I could tell you everything I've put mango into, but the above list is only the beginning.  For some of these dishes, I have simply sauteed the mango cubes with the other vegetables, with the rice and quinoa, I have simply put the cubes in with the dry ingredients then boiled them with the water.  For seasonings, I have found that the simpler the better.

This afternoon, I sauteed mushrooms, spinach, and mango together, then added tomatoes at the end.  I simply sprinkled some salt on the mixture and added it to whole wheat pasta.  All the flavors mingled so well, you'd think I spent hours on the dish, when only I had spent the time it takes to boil pasta, about 10 minutes.

I definitely recommend giving mango a try, especially if you've been looking for something different to add a little umph to your routine dishes.  Thanks for reading and God bless!