Today Mango is not yet another exotic fruit from the East. Judging by its popularity from exports, it is truly becoming the globalized king of fruits. India is the largest producer at 12m tonnes and after a gap of 18yrs the US will get to experience the Indian mango again. A parsley shaped green, yellow, orange shaded fruit with a big seed embedded in between, it tastes syrupy sweet that often once bitten never forgotten.
Mangifera indica is the official name, it is native to India although grown from Mexico to Indonesia. It is traced back to 6000yrs in India and highly appreciated in Ayurvedic healing and cooking. It belongs to surprisingly the cashew and pistachio family but judging from acidic content when raw it makes sense.
India exported 58,000 tonnes to its neighbors in Asia and Europe. Although mangoes in India grow in Bihar, Gujarat, Karnataka , Kerala, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal, but its connoisseurs believe the fruit is distinct because of the soil of the place it grows and so the best ones are from Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh. A skirmish will break out just to decide the best variety out of the thousands like Bombai, Malda, Rajapuri, gulab khas, Safeda, chausa, etc. Andhraites claim Baiganpalli, for Maharashtrians it’s the most famous Alphonso. Infact Ratnagiri and Malihabad have become the most prosperous and famous villages just because of their mangoes.
The easiest way to enjoy mangoes is to wash cool and depending on the variety suck, eat and make Free Webs
