TIPS ON BUYING AND STORING
I mistakenly thought that all mangoes had to have an orange colour to be ripe, but I have discovered that some varieties have green skins that don’t change colour on ripening and have the sweetest flesh inside.
The Kent and Keitt variants which are currently in season are two such varieties.
The way to test if a mango is ripe is to gently press the flesh. If it gives slightly, it is ripe. Smell the mango, and if it has that distinctive sweet mango smell, then it is ripe.
When buying mangoes – unless you need to use them all at once – it is best to buy them slightly firmer and let them ripen at home.
Storing them in a paper bag will ripen them quickly, especially if you put a banana in the packet. There is an enzyme in bananas that speeds up the ripening process.
Once ripe, mangoes should be stored in the fridge to prevent them from over-ripening.
Take advantage when mangoes are cheap and plentiful to dice the flesh, which you can freeze to make delicious smoothies throughout the year.
MANGO CUPCAKES
Makes 18
160g butter
180ml castor sugar
3 eggs
5ml vanilla extract
625ml self-raising flour
250ml buttermilk
125ml desiccated coconut
1 mango, peeled and diced
BUTTER ICING
125g butter
625ml sifted icing sugar
3ml vanilla extract
15-30ml milk
Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.
Beat in the vanilla.
Add the flour alternately with the milk.
Fold in the coconut and the diced mango.
Divide the mix into paper-lined muffins tins. Bake at 180°C for 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into a cake comes out clean.
Cool and spread with icing and decorate with sliced mango.
ICING: Beat the butter until it is light and fluffy. Add the icing sugar, the vanilla and enough milk to make a spreading consistency.
PRAWN SKEWERS WITH MANGO SALSA
Serves 6
300g large prawns, about 18, deveined, tails intact
30ml olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
45ml chopped fresh coriander
zest of 1 lime
30ml lime juice
18 wooden skewers
MANGO SALSA
1 avocado, diced
1 mango, diced
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 red chilli, seeded, finely chopped
45ml chopped fresh coriander
30ml lime juice
15ml olive oil
salt and pepper
Put prawns, oil, garlic, coriander and lime zest and juice in a bowl. Toss and mix well.
Cover with cling wrap and put in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Soak the wooden skewers in a dish of shallow water.
Thread the prawns onto skewers and cook on a hot griddle pan for 2 minutes a side, until cooked through. Serve with mango salsa.
SALSA: In a small bowl, mix together all the ingredients. Season with salt and pepper.
Refrigerate until needed.
MANGO MOUSSE
Serves 8-10
4 medium ripe mangoes, peeled and pitted
1 tin of evaporated milk
125ml sugar
250ml orange juice
45ml powdered gelatine
1-2 mangoes, peeled and diced, for serving
1 punnet of raspberries, for serving
Cut the mangoes into large chunks and place in a food processor. Cover and process until smooth.
Transfer to a large bowl. It should make about 1 litre.
Stir in the evaporated milk and sugar. Set aside.
Meanwhile, place the orange juice in a small saucepan and sprinkle over the gelatine. Allow to stand for 2 minutes.
Heat over low heat, stirring, until the gelatine is completely dissolved. Stir into the mango mixture.
Pour into jelly mould. Cover and refrigerate for 5-6 hours or overnight, until firm.
Unmould and serve with fresh mango and raspberries.
CHICKEN AND MANGO RICE PAPER ROLLS
Makes 16
16 rice paper wrappers
100g baby gem lettuce
1 carrot, peeled and cut into thin strips
1 small cucumber, cut into thin strips
1 mango, peeled, cut into thin strips
500ml cooked and shredded chicken
DIPPING SAUCE
125ml sweet chilli sauce
30ml lime juice
Half fill a shallow dish with warm water.
Dip a rice paper wrapper into the water for a minute, until it softens. Place onto a clean tea towel.
Put a few small lettuce leaves along one edge of the rice wrapper. Top with some carrot, cucumber and mango strips and shredded chicken.
Fold in the edges and roll up to enclose the filling.
Place completed rolls on an oiled baking tray and cover with a damp tea towel.
Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling ingredients.
Cut rolls diagonally in half. Serve with dipping sauce.
DIPPING SAUCE: Combine ingredients.
CHICKEN KORMA WITH MANGO RICE
Serves 6
8 chicken thighs
200ml plain yoghurt
30-40 korma curry paste
salt and pepper
MANGO RICE
500ml cooked basmati rice
1 red pepper, diced
1 large mango, diced
1 Lebanese cucumber, seeds removed and diced
1 red onion, finely diced
125ml chopped coriander
Slash the chicken thighs twice on the skin side and place in an ovenproof dish.
Combine the yoghurt, korma paste, and salt and pepper. Spread all over the chicken thighs.
Cover and refrigerate for 4-6 hours.
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Bake the chicken for one hour, until it is cooked.
Remove and cool slightly. Serve on a bed of mango rice.
MANGO RICE: Combine the cooked rice with the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
Season with salt and pepper.
Angela Day, The Star