5 Quick and Interesting Ways to Cut a Mango

We all know that eating mangoes can be a bit messy, if not consumed in a proper manner. But if sliced through proper cutting techniques, the fruit can be consumed easily and without creating any mess. Here are some mango cutting styles that will add more taste to your mangos.

Here we go.

Learn about: How many Mangoes should you eat a day?

MANGO CUTTING TECHNIQUES:

1. Mexican Mango Flowers:

Mexican mango flower is popular street food in Mexico. This is an interesting way to cut a mango. You just need a firm (ripe) mango, a wooden skewer (a stick with a sharp-pointed head), a sharp knife, and a lot of practice. Yeah! This mango cutting technique needs a lot of practice, only then will your mango flower look perfect.

For carving a mango flower in Mexican style, follow these steps:

1. First, you have to cut a slice from the bottom of the mango to make it flat. Then, insert the sharp head of the stick into the centre of the large mango seed.
2. All done? Now hold the mango fruit through the skewer and start peeling either with a knife or vegetable peeler.
3. Once peeled, now use a sharp knife to cut the bottom row of the mango into small petal shape slices all the way around the mango. Then start slicing for the second row in the same manner but now the petal-slices should be above and between the two petals of the bottom row (for better understanding see the image).
4. Following the same procedure, slice the whole mango into petals getting smaller and smaller all the way to the top. Now your mango will look like a rosebud. If your mango flower doesn’t look perfect it’s alright! It will get better with practice.

Additional Point: If you want your mango flower to taste the Mexican style, sprinkle a pinch of salt, red chilli powder, and drop some lemon juice on it.

Enjoy your sweet and spicy mango flower.

Learn more about: 10 Best Varieties of Mangoes in the World that you may not know

2. The standard Method:

Dicing or cubing a mango is the standard method to cut a mango.

1. For this method, first, you have to cut the two cheeks (wider sides) of mango with its skin.
2. Now use a sharp knife to cut the mango flesh in both vertical and horizontal directions.
3. Carefully score the mango flesh (don’t cut the skin). You will be left with small cubes on the peel.
4. Now push the centre of the peel from the backside with your fingers and invert it. The small cubes will be separated.
5. Cut off the cubes one by one with a small knife and it’s done!

      Wait! We have only diced the wider sides (cheeks) of mango, the thin sides are still waiting to be cut.

6. Cut the remaining two (thin) sides off and now only the seed will be left behind.
7. Remove the peel and cut the two strips of mango flesh horizontally. You will be left with some more mango cubes.

3. The Easy Method:

If you are struggling with eating mangoes and are creating a lot of mess, here is the method which is time-saving and the easiest one.

Just grab a mango and a knife. Cut the mango horizontally and as deep as you start feeling the inner large seed. Now hold the mango tightly, each side in each hand and twist it. You will now get the two separate halves of the mango. Take a spoon and scoop out the flesh from both halves and the seed. Yeah! it’s done.

4. The Common Method:

Slicing the mango is one of the most common methods of cutting the mangoes. To slice the mango, first, you have to peel the whole mango through a knife or a peeler. Once your mango is completely peeled, now use the sharp knife and start slicing the mango from top to bottom (vertically). Remember, there is a big seed in the middle of mango so be careful not to touch the seed with your knife while slicing.

Once you are done with slicing, you can also slice it further just like elongated potato chips/crisps.

5. How to eat an overripe mango:

Over-ripe mangoes are usually softer than normal, and trying to cut such a mango can make a mushy mess.  Don’t worry! here is the technique to deal with such messy mangoes.

Don’t peel, don’t cut:

You have got an over-ripe mango, so you don’t have to peel or cut it. Here it’s explained how to eat it.

1. Take the over-ripe mango and wash it.
2. Now squeeze it through your hands until it becomes super soft and juicy. Make sure there is no crack in the peel or else the pulp will come out and it will create a mess.
3. When you feel that the mango flesh has softened enough, now you can take out the pulp two ways;

i. Use a spoon:

Put your mango in a bowl, make a hole (the size of a spoon) in the skin of the mango carefully and enter the spoon inside the fruit. Now take out the pulp through the spoon until the skin is left empty with just the seed inside it. You can enjoy the pulp (eating through a spoon). You can also use this pulp in smoothies and shakes etc.

ii. Use a straw:

Make a small hole in your mango through a straw. Make sure the hole is not a big one. Now enjoy your natural fresh mango juice.

Mango Peeling Technique:

Through Glass:

Using a glass to peel a mango is the most interesting technique. Take a sharp knife, stand your mango on the cutting board, slice the cheeks (wider sides) of the mango. Now take a glass (with thin edges), adjust the bottom of one of the sliced cheeks of mango on the edge of the glass. Now push the sliced cheek down carefully, you will get the peeled slice inside the glass.

Hope you enjoyed learning about the different ways of cutting mangoes. My favourite is the Mexican style flower-shaped mango, especially with its sweet and spicy taste. Do mention your favourite cutting style of mango in the comments section.

Links: 

https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/how_to_cut_a_mango/

https://mexicanmademeatless.com/how-to-make-mexican-mango-flowers-video-tutorial/