Boas Comidas

Glossário Culinário

Mango

Ingrediente

Origem
South Asia

Mango is a tropical fruit with soft, sweet, fragrant flesh, starring in mousses, ice creams, juices, lassis, salads and sweet-sour sauces. With varieties in different sizes and colors, it works both in creamy desserts and in fresh dishes with herbs and lime.

Characteristics

Ripe mango yields slightly to the touch, smells sweet and has skin in shades of green, yellow, orange or red, depending on the variety. The flesh ranges from light yellow to orange and should be soft, without too many fibers or soft dark spots. When buying, choose fruits that are firm yet fragrant, with no cracks or fermented smell. They ripen at room temperature and, once ripe or cut, must go in the refrigerator. To cut, slice close to the flat central pit, score cubes into the flesh without piercing the skin and turn it inside out to release, or peel and slice. The large pit lowers the yield, so buy extra.

Uses in the kitchen

Mango shines in mango lassi, mango mousse, homemade ice cream, smoothies, quinoa salad with mango, fruit salad and chutneys. Blended with milk or yogurt, it gives natural creaminess to drinks. Diced, it refreshes salads with cucumber, arugula and mint. Quickly cooked with sugar and lime, it becomes syrup for cakes and ice creams. It pairs with passion fruit, coconut, ginger, cardamom, mild chili and fresh herbs. For firm desserts, use thicker pulp and drain off excess juice.

Substitutions

In mousses and ice creams, mango can be swapped for peach, nectarine, papaya or cooked blended pineapple, adjusting sugar and lime. In juices, cashew fruit and passion fruit give a tropical profile, with more acidity. In salads, pineapple and kiwi bring similar freshness, with a different texture. For syrup, cooked blended apricot works, but with its own color and aroma. Always prefer ripe fruit so you need less sugar.

Fun facts

Cutting mango over a bowl saves all the juice. Freezing ripe cubes keeps pulp for juices all year. A few drops of lime bring out the sweetness without souring it. In salads, firm mango holds its cut better, while very ripe mango is ideal for blending. Washing and drying before cutting keeps the knife from slipping on the skin.

Recipes with mango

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