The sweet, tropical taste of a mango is the perfect addition to many recipes and also makes for a great snack. The fleshy fruit packs a lot of nutritional punch as well. Mangoes are a good source of vitamins A and C as well as dietary fiber, according to the National Mango Board. Some people, though, shy away from mangoes because they don't know how to work with them. The long, flat seed in the middle of the mango presents the biggest challenge when cutting the fruit. Once you learn how to work with the seed and properly cut the fruit, it's easy to add mango to your favorite recipes.
Step 1
Hold the mango upright on a cutting board with the stem end of the fruit facing down.
Step 2
Line up a knife on the top of the fruit about a quarter-inch from the tallest part of the fruit. Slice the mango vertically.
Step 3
Turn the mango so you can repeat Step 2 on the other side of the mango.
Step 4
Discard the center portion of the mango, which contains the seed, and keep the two fleshy halves of the fruit, called the "cheeks."
Step 5
Place one of the mango cheeks on the cutting board and cut slices lengthwise into the fruit. Be careful not to cut all the way through the skin of the fruit. You can make the slices as wide as you desire.
Step 6
Cut lines horizontally across the fruit so that small squares or dices of fruit are formed. Again, try not to cut all the way through the skin of the mango.
Step 7
Remove the skin of the mango by either scooping away the flesh with a spoon or using a paring knife to cut the skin from the back of the fruit. You may also be able to peel the skin with your fingers.
Step 8
Place the diced mango pieces in a bowl or other container, and discard the mango skin.
Step 9
Repeat steps 5 to 8 with the other mango cheek.
Tips and Warnings
- The skin of a mango can also be peeled with a vegetable peeler or Y-shaped peeler, but the fruit is slippery and can be more difficult to cut if peeled beforehand. Some kitchen accessory stores sell mango splitters that easily remove the seed from the center of the mango and leave you with the two cheeks to cut or dice. The easiest mangoes to work with are those that have fully ripened but are still firm. Soft mangoes can be more difficult to peel and cut.
Things You'll Need
- Knife
- Spoon
- Paring knife
- Cutting board
- Bowl
Member Comments