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10 ways to use up mangoes

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Summer time in Queensland = mangoes and they’re already hitting the stores, big time. No damaging storms as yet to ruin the crops so, hopefully they’ll be around for a few more months at a half decent price. (Unlike the humble banana. The price is starting to drop to around $6 per kilo, which is still very high.)

Growing up in Queensland, everyone had a mango tree in their back yard. It always attracts the fruit bats so the two go hand in hand. When you hear fruit bats squealing at night, mango season is around the corner. We got rid of our mango tree as it hadn’t produced any fruit, ever, but at any given time we could walk around the corner and collect them off the ground of many a house in the neighbourhood. What to do with all those mangoes?

Here’s a few ideas.

 
 

 
Basically mix chopped mango with anything. Things like finely diced onion, chilli, coriander, garlic, lime juice, pineapple, capsicum, avocado or tomato and serve with grilled seafood, fish or chicken.
 
 

 

2.  Mango & Yoghurt Icy Poles
 
Pureeing mango on its own and freezing is usually enough. The pure taste of frozen mango is like liquid gold. With the addition of a vanilla or Greek yoghurt makes it creamy. I also do one by half filling the icy poly mould with mango puree and then freezing. Then add a layer of cream which has had a small amount of mango puree mixed through and freeze again. Really yummy! (And a copy of those ‘other’ famous mango icy poles.)
 
 
3.  Mango Swirl Cheesecake
 
Use mango on it’s own or with any other tropical fruit such as passionfruit, pineapple, lime juice and zest, kiwi fruit or strawberries with the addition of macadamia nuts for a truly tropical taste sensation.
 
 
3.  Indian Mango Kulfi
 
A delightful Indian fruit ice that is hard to beat. A favourite with a lot of Indian households and better still no fancy ice cream makers required.
 
 
4.  Mango Bread
 
Not one that I’ve ever tried to make before but it won’t be long before I do. This recipe from the famous Dorie Greenspan’s cookbook “Baking: From My Home to Yours” looks and sounds absolutely delicious. If you give it a go, let me know. (That’s if I don’t beat you to it!)
 
 
 
5.  Green Mango Salad
 
This is a traditional Thai dish with the typical hot, salty, sweet and sour flavour sensation. Perfect for when you have an abundance of green mangoes. The secret is to finely slice, grate or julienne the mango for this deliciously light salad.
 
 
6.  Mango Smoothie
 
Probably one of the first things I think about when I have access to a lot of mangoes. It’s as common as toast for breakfast but how about adding some other fruits like strawberries, pineapple, kiwifruit, banana, blueberries and throw in some chia, wheatgerm, honey, flax seed oil, spirulina, protein powder or brewer’s yeast. A wheatgerm shot is all the range at the juice bars. Just blitz any of these with a few ice cubes, milk or yoghurt for an all-in-one healthy breakfast on the run or afternoon tea treat for the kids.
 
 
7.  Mango Chutney
 
Mango chutney is one of those things I have in the pantry at all times. It’s a great accompaniment to Indian food plus it’s good to have on hand for a party. Mix a little with cream cheese, Greek yoghurt or sour cream and serve with crudites, crackers or bread for a tasty party snack. Mango chutney is also good served with cold meats or a salad. Make it as spicy or as sweet as you like.
 
 
8.  Mango in a salad
 
I’m not really one for fruit in a savoury dish but I will make exception for mango in a salad. Let your imagination go wild with this one. Think chicken, seafood, beef, pork, tuna, salmon tossed with salad greens, maybe a sprinkling of nuts, some thinly sliced or diced mango and a basic vinagrette of equal quantities of exta virgin olive oil and vinegar of some kind in the form of a white or red wine, balsamic or even plain vinegar if that’s all you have. Add fresh herbs, chilli, seeds, cheese. Anything.
 
 
9.  Mango & Passionfruit Pavlova
 
Pavlova is traditionally a dessert eaten in the Australian summer and one that appears at a lot of Christmas dinner tables. The addition of mango to the decorative topping is so delicious. Again, use your imagination to what other summer fruits you can put on top.
 
10.  Just eat them!
 
This probably has to be my most favourite way to eat a mango. We really are spoilt for having easy access for a well priced, seasonal, tropical fruit that is like eating sweet butter. I always loved getting it all over my hands and face and then worrying about a good clean up afterwards. When there’s just too many mangoes, try some of those other recipes I suggested.
 
For more great ideas, check out:
 
http://www.mangoes.net.au/
 
http://www.freshforkids.com.au/fruit_pages/mango/mango.html
 
http://freshmangos.com/mangos.html

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