Ilove mangoes, so I love summer, when the mangoes are in season!
The mangoes ready for picking in Kona are the green common variety. With more than 400 varieties of mangoes, the hot summer months can produce a lot.
The weather in Kona — lots of sun, light rain in the afternoon — is perfect for growing mangoes.
Last weekend, we were lucky to go to our friends Tom and Aileen’s home in Kailua-Kona. We peeled and cut the green mangoes to make pickled mango, and I peeled the ripe mangoes and made a salad. I also took a bag of mangoes home to make mango chutney.
Foodland has this recipe for pickled green mangoes on its website:
Pickled Green Mangoes
Makes: 1 quart
8 cups green mango slices
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup Hawaiian or kosher salt
1 clove small garlic clove, peeled
5 whole black peppercorns
10 li hing mui
Peel and cut green mangoes into slices. If hard and green, a good peeler works best. Place mango slices into a mixing bowl. Add li hing mui.
In a non-reactive pot, combine vinegar, sugar, salt, garlic and peppercorns and bring to a boil.
When sugar and salt are dissolved, remove from heat and cool until it feels hot to touch, not scorching.
Pour over mangoes. Cover and let cool. Transfer to jars or storage container.
• • •
Here is Punahou School’s famous mango chutney recipe printed by the Honolulu Advertiser on March 10, 1999. With all the candied orange and lemon peels as well as preserved ginger, no wonder it’s so delicious!
Punahou Mango Chutney
Makes: 15 pints
10 pounds mangoes (green and half-ripe), peeled, sliced and cut in chunks
5 pounds sugar
6 or 7 cups cider vinegar, depending on acidity of mangoes
1 pound finely sliced candied lemon peels
1 pound finely sliced candied orange peel
2 large onions, chopped fine
2 pounds seedless raisins
1 pound finely sliced citron
2/3 cup green ginger, cooked and chopped fine
1 cup finely chopped preserved ginger
2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
8 small Hawaiian chiles, with seeds removed
Sprinkle mangoes with salt and allow to stand overnight.
Boil the sugar and vinegar 5 minutes, add to the drained mango, cook until tender. Add the other ingredients and cook slowly to desired consistency, 30 minutes to an hour. Pour into hot, sterilized jars and seal immediately.
• • •
If the mangoes you picked are ripe or already changed to a yellow color, you can make this wonderful summer salad.
Mango and Black Bean Quinoa Salad
Serves: 6-8
2 cups quinoa, rinsed and cooked with 2 1/2 cups water or vegetable broth, cooled to room temperature
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 medium half-ripe or ripe, but firm mango, peeled and diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
2 ripe but firm tomatoes, diced
4 green onions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Cook quinoa as per instructions on package, allow to cool to room temperature. In a small bowl, place diced tomatoes and sprinkle with salt. Place in large bowl, add mago, red pepper, green onions, black beans, tomatoes and cilantro.
In a small bowl, combine vinegar, olive oil and lime juice. Whisk until the dressing is smooth and pour on top of the salad. Toss to combine and add black pepper. Chill the salad for at least one hour before serving.
• • •
Another great and easy recipe for ripe mangoes is this wonderful mango salsa. I made this with the pieces of ripe mangoes.
Mango Salsa
2 cups diced ripe mango, 1/4-inch dice
1 cup diced red bell pepper, 1/4-inch dice
2 ripe tomatoes, 1/4-inch dice
1/4 cup diced red onion, 1/8-inch dice
2 teaspoons minced jalapenos
1/3 cup cilantro leaves, packed, roughly chopped
1 medium avocado, 1/4-inch dice
1/4 cup lime juice
In a medium-sized bowl, combine mango, red bell peppers, tomatoes, red onion, jalapenos and chopped cilantro. Add diced avocado and lime juice. Gently stir in mango salsa until combined.
Serve salsa immediately or store in an airtight container for up to two days.
Foodie bites
Mangoes belong to the cashew family and are native to South Asia. The mango is so popular in India and Pakistan that is their national fruit.
Email Audrey Wilson at audreywilson808@gmail.com.