It is hard to eat a mango in a dignified way, though why would you want to? Part of the fun of eating a juicy, succulent mango is feeling the juice dribble down your chin and through your fingers, not to mention smelling its utterly delicious scent. Mangos are one of the most popular fruits in the world and were first grown in India over 5000 years ago. It is widely believed that Buddha meditated under a mango tree. Mangos are also very healthy and contain vitamin A, vitamin C and fibre. Research shows that mangos can also help with diabetes and high cholesterol, as well as the prevention of cancer and boosting the immune system. They are very versatile.
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There are several ways you can use mangos.
1. Mango salsa
Take your fish, pork or chicken dish to the next level with this sweet and spicy mango salsa recipe. You’ll need 1 diced mango, 1 diced avocado, 4 diced tomatoes, 1 minced jalapeño pepper, a ¼ cup chopped cilantro, 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, 3 tablespoons olive oil and a ¼ cup chopped red onions. Combine all these in a medium bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavours to blend together.
2. Mango popsicles
It’s finally sunny again, and what better way to celebrate than with a healthy bite of a mango popsicle with only 3 ingredients. You’ll need 2 cups frozen mango, 2 tablespoons sugar ( or more if your fruit isn’t very ripe) and 1 teaspoon lime or lemon juice. Blend all ingredients together until smooth. Pour the mixture into popsicle moulds and freeze until hardened. Enjoy!
3. Mango jam
There are various ways to use mangos, and one of them is to make some mango jam with your extra mangos. Just get 4 peeled and diced mangos, juice of 1 lemon, ½ lemon zest, sugar and water. Prepare jars and lids for storage before you begin. Put the mangos into a pot, and add sugar. Add the lemon juice, zest and enough water to keep from sticking and cook until soft. Blend batches until smooth and cook till the mixture thickens. Pour into jars and seal. Opened mango jam can generally stay fresh in the fridge for 1 year so you’ll get to enjoy it more.
4. Mango bread
Do you like bread? Well, you’ll completely love this mango bread that is not only tasty but very moist. You’ll need 1¾ cups all-purpose flour,1 teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 6 tablespoons granulated sugar, 6 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 large egg, 1 cup buttermilk, ⅓ cup vegetable oil, 2 tablespoons honey, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 cup mangos, peeled and chopped into cubes, and ½ teaspoon grated lemon zest, optional. Preheat oven to 350F/175C and butter a 9×5-inch loaf pan. In a large bowl sift together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Add sugars and mix. In another bowl, whisk the egg with the buttermilk, oil, honey, vanilla extract and lemon zest. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix well. Fold in the chopped mangos. Pour the batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake for 45-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then remove the bread from the pan and move it to a wire rack to cool completely. You can store this bread at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 4 days or freeze it for up to 2 months.
5. Mango smoothies
Did you know that you can make a delicious and extra thick mango smoothie with only 2 ingredients and in under 5 minutes? Cool off the healthy way with a mango smoothie or two. All you need is 2 fresh mangos, 1 cup cubed frozen mango and 3 peeled and quartered frozen bananas. Blend the fresh mangos first, then add the other ingredients and blend till smooth. Serve immediately.
6. Mango tea
One of the ways to use mangos is by making mango tea which is a sweet tea that will keep you coming back for more. It is super easy to make, too! Just get 2 quarts of water, divided, 2 ripe mangoes, peeled and sliced, 1-3 teaspoons honey or sugar, 4-8 tea bags of your favourite black or green tea, depending on how strong you like your tea and sugar to taste. In a medium-sized pot, heat 1 quart of water and the mango and let it boil. Add the honey or sugar to draw out the sweetness in the fruit. Simmer for about five minutes. Mush the mango in the water and add the tea bags. Allow the tea to steep for 5-10 minutes and strain tea into a ½ gallon jar or pitcher. Add a quart of water and stir in sugar if you want your tea sweetened. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled and serve over ice.
Here are 8 Health Benefits Of Mangoes
