mango salsa

Before I go into the mango salsa today, I want to share my experience, having my first mango many years ago during a visit on the island of Bali.

I first saw this fruit in these art-like, beautifully arranged offerings, Balinese people bring to their temples or their home altars, with many different kind of fruits and beautiful flowers.
Then I found mangoes at the fresh markets there. Young green mangoes, they use as vegetable, white mangoes with a reddish-brown peel and the sweet, juicy, yellow mangoes. Curious how they might taste, I had to buy one, right!
What a sensual, tropical experience on so many levels! They are one of my favorite fruits ever since. I could eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner, honestly!

Did you know that mangoes are the most consumed fruit worldwide and called the “king of the fruits”. They are known and used since 4.000 to 5.000 years mainly in India, Pakistan and Burma. And over 1000 varieties are known and grown there. A mango tree can grow as tall as 65 to 100 feet (16-25m) tall and there are mango trees know to be more than 300 years old and continue to bear fruit!

Did you ever eat a mango mindfully? NO? Well, I totally get it if you just dive into a mango and indulge it. But since we are here together anyway

let’s do a mindfulness practice right here, exploring and looking deeply at the mango. Shall we?

Let’s look at the shape of this fruit first. Doesn’t it almost have the shape of a human heart?  Is there a hint here? Well, it has been proven that fiber maintains a healthy digestive system and can even lower cholesterol and prevent heart disease…..  You know what I mean?

Now, just hold the mango gently in your hand and feel its soft, cool smoothness of its skin and the weight. The weight of a mango can vary from 1/2 to up to 1 pound (250-450g) 

Depending of what kind of mango you are choosing, it can vary from golden-yellow to green to orange or a deep red with green and white spots like this one her. With the complementing colors of red and green it looks almost like an abstract painting to me. What does your mango look like?

Let’s get to the heart of the fruit and explore the inner part of the mango.

A mango has a flat seed in the middle with the juicy flesh surrounding it. So, the easiest way to cut, is to hold it upright on a cutting board and cut off the “cheeks” (as I call the sides of the mango) on both sides of the seed. Isn’t it beautiful! This rich, orange-yellow, almost golden, juicy, soft flesh this fruit reveals? Doesn’t this already make your mouth water? 

Now, lay down the mango cheek, skin down, and cut the flesh cross wise almost down to the skin. Then push the skin in the middle to bend and opens up the juicy, delicious flesh columns. Just look at this for a moment and take in the rich, colorful juiciness and the sweet, fruity, tropical aroma.

Let’s explore the taste

The taste of a mango is the best when it is ripe. (The color of the skin is not an indicator for ripeness). The fruit should still be firm but will give slightly with touch. Just find those with a floral or noticeably fruity scent at the stem.

Now take the first bite, chew slowly for about 10-15 times eyes closed to focus just on the taste. You will recognize the taste of a mango is somewhat between pineapple and orange with a hint of peach. It is sweet. Some have a hint of a fresh lemon (but not as acidic).

How is the texture?

It is juicy, dense yet silky and creamy at the same time, between a cantaloupe and an avocado I would say.

But mangoes are not only mouth-watering luscious and yummy, they are also what is called a super fruit, providing well over 20 vitamins (mainly vitamin C, A, B6 and E and K), and minerals (calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, copper) and enzymes, mangoes are a  great high-fiber and high-antioxidant food. It’s no wonder then, that the mango is often referred to as the “king of fruits.”

If you haven’t eaten all the mango yet, lets now go to make the mango salsa, shall we!

mango salsa

Mango salsa is tropical, smooth and fruity, refreshing and tart with the lime juice, has a good zing from the jalapeño pepper and the herbal, lemony taste of cilantro leaves, also called coriander.

What’s the best mango for this?

It tastes best when you use a ripe mango. (The color of the skin is not an indicator for ripeness). The fruit should be firm but will give slightly with touch. Just find those with a floral or noticeably fruity scent at the stem.

When I made this mango salsa for the first time, it was a total winner. It was a hot summer day some years ago year for a potluck picnic.

I once had bought a glass of salsa with mango and it was, well, mediocre to say the least. That set me up on a search what it needs to make a good mango salsa.

Well, it needs of course mango, tomato (if you can’t eat raw tomatoes at all, replace them with cucumber or just skip ’em) a green jalapeño, lime juice and lots of cilantro. The rest is to merge and to off the taste of the basics. In my creative handful and a pinch approach, I came up with this recipe.

You can use mango salsa as condiment to many other dishes. It goes well with these “Beyond Meat” grilled vegan chicken stripes. Or you can top your green salad to add some fruit and color to it.  But I guess mostly common is to eat the mango salsa with tortilla chips, either store-bought ones or you can easily make your own. Find the recipe below.

It’s so easily to make your own tortilla chips. Well, not quite from scratch but with store-bought corn tortillas. I also made them with these coconut tortillas  if you don’t eat corn of grains for that matter. They are very delicious!

I hope you enjoy this mango salsa as much as we do.

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