Summer Mangoes – Not to be Missed

May to July is the best time of year for mangoes with great flavour. These are from Asia, where the fruit originated, and are sweeter and more flavoursome than the standard varieties that we get all year round. So sweet and intense, they are well worth the effort to find, particularly as each variety is only available for a few weeks.

What to buy?

Varieties to look out for are:

• March to August: Nam Dok Mae from Thailand
• Late April to June: Indian Kesar, Alphonse and Badami
• Early June to July: Sindhri and Chausna from Pakistan

Nam Dok Mae is the smoothest, silkiest of mangoes, and has a lovely fragrant taste;

Kesar and Alphonse are smallish mangoes, visually unappealing, but packed with flavour and sweetness in their orange flesh;

Badami is a lighter coloured mango, slightly firm and with a distinct perfumed fragrance;

Sindhri and Chausna are intensely sweet and quite fleshy fruit with a distinctive depth of flavour.

Where to buy?

Supermarkets are only just starting to sell these varieties routinely, so the best place to buy them is at Asian groceries: usually sold by the box (5-6 fruit).

• Morrisons are currently selling Kesar from India at £5.80/box.
• Waitrose are occasionally selling Kesar at £2 each.
• M&S sell Nam Dok Mae from Thailand at £3.50 each.
• Tesco and Asda have sold these mangoes in the past in their big stores, so will probably do so again this year.

 

 

©Good Fruit Guide 2017. Recommendations on fruit varieties and types with the very best taste are personal to the editor of Good Fruit Guide, and do not attempt to be exhaustive or supported by verifiable consumer research.  The highlighting of fruit with the very best taste in the opinion of the editor is not intended as a judgement on the taste of varieties and types of fruit not mentioned.