Judy E. Buss

If you haven’t paid attention to mangos, or an old shriveled up specimen has been dying in the back of your fridge, you are missing out on a nutrition-dense and super delicious food. Mango’s sweet and succulent yellow flesh and fabulous flavor also offers an impressive nutritional bonus. The fruit is an excellent source of vitamins C, E, beta carotene, several B vitamins, potassium, magnesium, copper, powerful antioxidants, digestive enzymes, and dietary fiber.

Native of S.E. Asia, it has been cultivated for more than 4,000 years. Its main producers are India, China, Thailand, Central America, Mexico, California, and Florida. The fruit is extensively used in Asian, Central American, and Caribbean cuisine and has also become popular in the U.S.

Mango varieties are multi-colored red, orange, yellow and green. Some are completely green and will remain so even when ripe. The bright yellow “dwarf” type of mango is a great one-serving yumtastic snack. A mango is ripe when it yields to slight pressure. If still unripe, place it in a brown bag on your kitchen counter; it should be ready to eat in two or three days. A ripe mango must be refrigerated in an airtight bag.

Mango is used in salsas, salads, preserves, frozen desserts, and pastry. It is also a frequent ingredient in various kinds of chutney condiments made around the world. Canned or frozen mango tastes like, well, nothing…

Are you one of those people who deny themselves the use of this scrumptious and nutritious fruit because you don’t know how to peel and cut it? It’s easy and quick – here’s how:

CUTTING A MANGO: Wash and dry the fruit. Its shape corresponds to the large flat pit inside. Stand the mango (unpeeled) on a cutting board, holding the mango with its wider sides facing left and right. With a sharp knife, cut through the fruit, top to bottom, about one half inch to the right of center, to avoid the pit. Repeat the procedure a bit to the left of the center. You should now have two large slices.

Hold one slice in the palm of your hand – skin-side-down – and carefully make parallel cuts 1/2-inch apart into the flesh, up to – but not through – the skin. Turn the slice 90 degrees and repeat the procedure creating cubes (still attached to the skin). When done, turn the edge of the skin down with both hands, so the cubed flesh will pop up exposed. Cut the cubes off the skin.

Next, cut the remaining flesh off the narrow sides of the fruit along the pit. Pull off the skin backward to peel, and then chop the detached flesh. Go Mango!

TOMATO-MANGO SALSA

Yield: 2-3/4 cups

1 tablespoon wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 fresh jalapeno pepper
2 medium ripe tomatoes, finely chopped
1 large ripe mango, pitted, cubed (see directions above)
1/2 cup, finely chopped sweet onion
2 tablespoons finely chopped, fresh cilantro leaves

1. In a medium bowl, mix the vinegar and oil and set aside.

2. TO CHOP THE JALAPENO:  Wearing latex gloves trim and discard the jalapeno stem end. Cut the pepper in half lengthwise, and remove the seeds. Cut each half into thin ribbons lengthwise, then finely chop all of them together crosswise.

3. Add the jalapeno to the dressing. Wash the gloved hands and cutting board with soap and water before removing the gloves.

4. Mix in all the other ingredients into the vinegar mixture. Refrigerate in an airtight container for 30 minutes before serving.

Serve with fish, or meat. 

RICE WITH FRUIT AND NUTS

2 servings

3/4 cup uncooked brown rice
1 large ripe mango, pitted, cubed (see directions above)
7 seedless red grapes, halved
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

DRESSING:
1 tablespoon olive oil (not extra virgin)
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/3 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons dried tarragon
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Rinse the rice in a fine-mesh strainer. Drain. Place in a medium saucepan, and add 1-1/2 cups water. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, and cook slowly about 45 minutes until all the water has been absorbed. Remove the rice from the stove. Let cool.

2. In a large bowl, whisk all the dressing ingredients. Add the rice, and thoroughly blend with the dressing. Gently mix in the fruit and nuts. Refrigerate in an airtight container for 1 hour before serving.

TIP-1: If you cook rice in advance for any dish, before refrigerating it in an airtight container mix in 1 – 2 tablespoons olive oil (not extra virgin), to prevent the rice from drying.

TIP-2: To make this dish you can substitute other grains for the rice, grains such as millet, quinoa, or bulgur. Be aware though, that each type of grain takes a different length of time to cook: Millet – 30 minutes, Quinoa – 25 minutes, Bulgur 30 minutes.

“Mission Nutrition” Tips and Recipies from Judy E. Buss, Health Columnist, Nutritional Cooking Instructor.

“Mission Nutrition” Tips and Recipes from Judy E. Buss, Syndicated Eating-for-Health Columnist

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