Mango - description
If for us mango is exotic, then in India it is the most common fruit and is considered one of the national symbols of this country. From Sanskrit “mango” is translated as “great fruit”. Its fruits grow on a mango tree, or as it is also called, a mangifere. This is a fairly tall plant, reaching a height of up to thirty to forty meters, with a crown diameter of about ten meters.
Homeland mangifera is India. It was there that this plant originated several thousand years ago. Currently, mangoes are cultivated in many countries - China, Mexico, Thailand, some parts of Africa, Cuba, the USA. In Europe, it is the Canary Islands and Spain, but the world leader in the export of this fruit is India.
During flowering, the tree is covered with multiple, very fragrant inflorescences. Depending on the size of the plant, it can be from two hundred to a thousand flowers. But their set is rather low, so only one or two fruits are formed from one inflorescence with a large number of flowers. The mass of which can range from two hundred grams to a kilogram. This fruit is oval, egg-shaped. Depending on the degree of maturation, its thin and smooth skin can be red, green or yellow. The pulp of ripe fruit is juicy, sweet, with a large flat bone inside, has a yellow or orange color. It is very fragrant, its smell at the same time resembles a melon, a rose, an apricot, a lemon, and its own, specific, mango flavor. Unripe fruits have a sour or sweet-sour taste and fibrous flesh.
There are more than a thousand varieties of mango, of which there are dessert and technical. The first ones are used to make desserts, salads or they are eaten fresh, the second ones are allowed for processing, and canned food is made of them. Mango tree can be grown as an indoor ornamental plant. It most likely will not give fruits, but will please with the beauty.
Mango - useful properties
Indians called the mango a great fruit for a reason. This is a treatment, and food, and prevention of many diseases. Only one carotene in this ripe fruit is several times larger than in tangerine. Not to mention vitamin A, which also contains plenty. Drinking mango is an excellent prevention of many eye diseases, dry cornea, night blindness. It contains vitamins E, D, group B, iron, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, 12 essential amino acids, sucrose, fructose, xylose, glucose. Unripe fruits are rich in vitamin C, which is several times higher than in lime.
Mango fruits are useful for strengthening the immune system, preventing malignant tumors, catarrhal diseases, strengthening the heart muscle, improving mental performance, sexual activity. Eating mango will help relieve nervous tension, elevate mood, overcome stress, help with stomatitis and gum disease. This is an excellent natural diuretic and anti-inflammatory agent.
Fresh juice is used to treat dermatitis. Or consumed with food. This helps to avoid heartburn and contributes to a better absorption of heavy food and fatty meat.
To avoid undesirable consequences in the form of intestinal upset or allergic reactions, it is necessary to limit the daily consumption of ripe fruit to 2-3 pieces. Immature fruits are limited to a few slices, a greater amount can lead to irritation of the mucous membrane, gastric colic, and sore throat. Immature, sour fruits are contraindicated in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, gout, because they contain large quantities of citric, malic and oxalic acid.
Mango - calories
The caloric value of 100 grams of mango is 67 kcal.
Mango - use in cooking
Mango is a very popular fruit in Indian and Asian cuisines. For the preparation of various dishes, both very ripe and unripe fruits are used. They are marinated, dried, dried, made fruit, vegetable, meat salads, desserts, sauces, boiled and fried with meat, fish, baked like an apple, and many other national dishes are prepared, including the famous Indian chutneys. In western and European cuisine, mangoes are often made for pies, sauces, gravy to meat or fish, added to desserts, pastries, salads, or served raw, cut into slices, as an addition to cold meats.
Before fresh consumption, the fruit is thoroughly washed and the peel is removed. Often these procedures are accompanied by irritation and allergic reactions on the skin. Therefore it is better to use gloves. Fruits are recommended to serve chilled, so softens the oily taste inherent in the mango. The flesh can stain the skin of the hands, therefore, when setting the table, next to the fruit, you must put a damp napkin or put a container with water so that you can rinse your fingers.
Mango Recipe Examples
Recipe 1: Chicken and Mango Stew
This is a simplified version of the preparation of this Dominican stew. The dish is cooked easily, to taste close to the restaurant. In addition to the mango, it consists of chicken, green peas and canned beans. To add spice to the stew, added chili pepper. It turns out bright, satisfying and very tasty. White wine can be replaced with rum, broth or water.
Ingredients: 800g chicken thighs (or shins), 1/2 mango (200g), 400g canned beans (white), an incomplete glass of fresh green peas (or frozen), 100ml dry white wine (or 200ml broth) , salt, black pepper, 1 chili pepper (or a couple of pinches of ground hot), vegetable oil.
Method of preparation
Chicken thighs or drumsticks pepper, salt. If it is a big chicken, divide it into smaller pieces and cut off excess fat and skin. Fry until crust. Pour in wine (broth or water), add a pod (or half) of hot pepper and simmer for twenty-five minutes, reducing the heat.
Cut the mango into slices and add along with the peas and beans to the meat and salt. If the liquid has boiled away, it can be poured a little. Simmer another five to ten minutes.
Recipe 2: Mango Fish
Mango goes well with fish, so the taste of the dish is exceptional. The main role is played by the mango sauce, it is he who gives the fish a very interesting taste. Fish fillet or steak should be pre-fried or boiled. Any fish is suitable - salmon, cod, perch, hake, pike.
Ingredients: 600g fish fillet, 1 table.lozh. honey and lemon juice, 1 mango, 50g butter (for mango), vegetable oil (for fish), flour, salt.
Method of preparation
Salt fish fillets, powder in flour and fry - for several minutes on each side until cooked (boil or bake for twenty minutes in the oven).
Peel the fruit, remove the bone and cut into medium slices or slices. Stir in honey and fry for three to four minutes in butter. Mango pour lemon juice, pepper.
Place fish fillets on a plate and mango slices with sauce on top. Sprinkle with parsley.
Recipe 3: Chicken and Mango Salad
If chicken breast and eggs are already boiled, the salad is cooked very quickly. Therefore, it can be prepared on a weekday for dinner to pamper yourself after a hard day at work. Eggs and chicken will give strength and satiety, and cucumbers and mangoes - juiciness and bright taste, which will help to raise your mood.
Ingredients: fresh cucumber (200g), 2 steep eggs, 1 mango, 200g canned corn, 1 boiled breast (300g), 100ml natural yoghurt.
Method of preparation
Mango peel and remove the bone. Boiled breast and mango cut into medium pieces, cucumber and eggs into small cubes. Drain the corn.
Combine all the ingredients in one bowl, season with yogurt. Taste, if not enough salt, a little dosolit.
Recipe 4: Mango Chutney
Chutney - a sauce that is served to meat, fish, shrimps, chicken, to shade their taste. It stimulates the appetite and promotes digestion. Chutneys are made from fruits or vegetables raw or heat treated. This recipe is a delicious delicious fresh fruit chutney. For the sauce it is better to take slightly immature, sour fruits. Ingredients: mango (500g), garlic clove, two pinch of curry, salt, black pepper, 2 tea. finished mustard (spicy, Russian, French).
Method of preparation
Peel the fruit, cut into pieces, chop into puree in a blender. Add the remaining ingredients, once again a few seconds to scroll through the blender and chutney is ready.
Mango - useful tips from experienced chefs
“If the immature fruit is wrapped in a newspaper and placed in a dark place, in a few days it will reach and become ripe.
- Before you buy a fruit, you should smell it. It should have a light pine aroma, stronger in the area of the tail. If the fruit is completely odorless, then it is unripe and tasteless.
