The first time I bought mangoes from a UK supermarket, I was appalled. Surely these hard, fibrous, bland cubes weren’t the sweet, creamy fruits I’d grown up with in Southeast Asia? I went through the stages of grief: anger, bargaining, depression. I never quite reached acceptance.
Then, in 2020, I heard you could get Indian mangoes delivered to your door. Homesick and intrigued, I ordered a box of six alphonso mangoes. The day they arrived and I sliced into their soft, fragrant cheeks, I felt like I had been let in on a secret. Delicious mangoes had been here all along – I had just been looking in the wrong place!
From the end of March until late July, Indian mangoes spill out onto the streets in front of South Asian grocers, nestled in their crates like golden eggs. Mango season is also a chance for independent and specialist grocers to thrive.
Supermarkets are less likely to risk bulk-buying the fragile fruits for such a short period, but for grocers like Nourished Communities in north London, it’s an important time of year. “We work with a local importer and the fruits fly out the door,” founder Rory Gillies says. “People get really excited about the season, so we like to make sure we have the best ones.”
Mangoes are highly prized in India because they are “part of the fabric and identity” of the country, as well as being a national symbol, says food and culture writer Apoorva Sripathi, who grew up in Chennai. “For one, India is both the largest producer and consumer of mangoes in the world. But it’s also the sheer number of cultivars of mangoes in India that makes it unique; a mango that can grow in India may not thrive elsewhere.”
“People get really excited about mango season, so we make sure we have the best ones”
The season is short but luscious. Different varieties of mangoes appear at different times between the end of March to the end of July, explains Satya Morarji, a specialist importer behind website alphonsomango.co.uk. Alphonso and kesar mangoes dominate the early part of the season, while badami, langra and dasheri last until later in the summer.
After July, though, the fruits vanish. This is because the monsoon will have started in June in the south of India, working its way north and bringing the mango season to an end in its wake. But for nearly four months of the year, there’s a world of mangoes to explore. The most popular and common varieties in the UK are:
Alphonso
Kesar
Badami
Langra
Dasheri
Photographs: iStock
A mango can be enjoyed at nearly any stage of its life. Young green mangoes are firmer and sour, so lend themselves well to savoury dishes. I asked MasterChef winner and supper club host Ping Coombes, who shares her love for Malaysian food online, for ideas; she suggests shredding raw green mangoes in a hot and sour salad called kerabu, a dressing made with chillies, lime and dried shrimps or fish sauce.
Maunika Gowardhan, chef and author of Indian cookbooks Thali and Tandoori Home Cooking, tells me she likes cooking green mangoes in a curry with prawns, so they add a tangy, almost tamarind-like flavour to the dish. She is also partial to raw green mangoes sliced and pickled, then coated in salt and chilli – a traditional street snack in many parts of South and Southeast Asia.
But ripe mangoes beg to be eaten in desserts. Surjan Singh, affectionately known as Chef Jolly, showcases them in a dedicated mango dessert menu at his London gastropub, The Great Indian. “Throughout the UK, you’ll find them in cakes, tarts, drinks, ice creams – anything sweet you can think of because they shine so brightly this way,” he says. But you have to be quick to enjoy them – once they’re gone, they’re gone until next year.
If you have an Indian grocer local to your area, they’re the best place to go for mangoes when the season arrives. But if you don’t, there are a number of online grocers that deliver nationwide:
What goes well with mango?
Mango’s floral notes and bold sweetness pair well with many popular dessert ingredients. Think whipped cream, zesty citrus, coconut, white chocolate, vanilla and warming spices. It’s intense fruitiness and creamy texture also means it makes a great addition to spicy salads and salsas and it pairs well with succulent seafood and chicken.
“Mangoes shine so brightly in cakes, tarts, drinks, ice creams – anything sweet”
Mango and elderflower mess
The hedgerow meets the tropics in this easy spin on eton mess. Steep the heady, ripe fruit in fragrant elderflower cordial before layering up with whipped cream and broken meringue.
Mango-misu
Tiramisu purists, look away now. Otherwise, if you’re ready to sub coffee for mango, try this irreverent take on the iconic Italian pud. Chef Ravinder Bhogal layers mango with a boozy zabaglione-mascarpone mixture, sponge fingers and tops with a generous sprinkling of Thai basil sugar.
Chicken and mango curry
Chunks of juicy mango complement the chicken and offset the chilli heat in this creamy coconut-based curry recipe. It’s ready in just 20 minutes.
Mango and passion fruit choux buns
In the mood to stretch your baking skills? Try your hand at some classic patisserie with pastry expert Ravneet Gill’s recipe. Filled with silky mango, passion fruit and white chocolate ganache, these elegant choux buns would look at home in a chic Paris patisserie.
Mango and chicken salad
This vibrant mango and chicken salad by chef Petty Elliott features a punchy Indonesian dressing and is a great way to showcase the juicy fruit. “This dish is inspired by a tropical fruit salad known as rujak, known for its bold flavour from the spicy, sweet and tangy tamarind dressing,” says Petty.
Mango cheesecake
Luscious alphonso mango slices crown this beautiful cheesecake from chef Avinash Shashidhara. No wonder the dessert is a favourite with diners at his London restaurant Pahli Hill.
Whole sea bass with mango salsa
Fruity mango and tender seafood make a great combination, redolent of beach-side holiday dinners. Here the fish is roasted with lime slices and coriander stalks to fragrance it and served with a zesty mango and avocado salsa. A simple yet impressive meal for two.
Vegan coconut and mango pavlova
With its intense sweetness and slinky texture, mango makes a great pavlova topping – an ideal foil for whipped cream and crisp meringue. This vegan version is made with aquafaba (the starchy liquid from a can of chickpeas) and rich coconut cream.
Tomato, mango and burrata chat
India meets Italy in food writer Gurdeep Loyal’s tomato, mango and burrata chaat recipe. “This recipe is a remix of caprese salad with a chaat street-food twist,” says Gurdeep. “Mango complements the sweetness of tomatoes, and replacing basil there’s a spice crunch and crispy curry leaves, contrasting with the creamy, oozy burrata.”
Crayfish and mango salad
Crunchy cucumber and radishes dance with vibrant mango and chilli sauce in a tangle of egg noodles in this summer-ready dish. Can’t find crayfish tails?? White crabmeat or cooked peeled prawns make great substitutes.
Need more inspiration? Check out all our mango dessert recipes and make-ahead summer puds.
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