Mango
Introduction
Mangoes are the edible stone fruit of the tropical tree Mangifera indica, a plant that originated in the northeastern part of South Asia, in the region that now takes in Bangladesh, northeastern India and Myanmar. The tree has been cultivated across South and Southeast Asia since ancient times, and that long history of growing has given rise to two modern lineages of cultivars: the "Indian" type and the "Southeast Asian" type.
Other species in the genus Mangifera also bear edible fruits known as mangoes, and most of these are found in the Malesian ecoregion. If you are drawn here by the fruit itself, expect the story of mango growing to run deep through the region, with the cultivated varieties you encounter reflecting lineages shaped over centuries of planting.
Before you go
Before you go, it helps to know that the words fruit and vegetable don't mean quite the same thing everywhere. In science, a vegetable can be any part of a plant, while a fruit is the part that contains seeds; in the kitchen, savoury ingredients are usually called vegetables and sweet-tasting ones count as fruit. Some ingredients, such as avocado, sit in both camps, and fungi are their own biological kingdom even though many cuisines treat them as vegetables. Ripeness matters enormously for fruit, which is why it's worth trying it where it grows. If your experience of mangoes, kiwis or avocados is limited to imported fruit picked early for long-distance shipping, take the chance to eat them fresh, local and in season — you'll likely find them sweeter, softer, juicier and altogether much tastier than back home.Three days in Mango
Day one: Begin with the fruit itself, the mango, and its place in the genus Mangifera. Spend your first hours understanding how the mango is grown and eaten across South Asia, from Bangladesh and India to Myanmar, and how the same fruit carries different names and uses as you move south. In the South and Southeast Asia, the mango is both an everyday food and a marker of season, and your first day is best spent simply tasting it in its many forms — green, ripe, and in between.
Day two: Turn to the kitchen traditions of Indian and Southeast Asian cooking, where the mango appears in chutneys, pickles, drinks and desserts. Notice how Other regions of the tropics have adopted the fruit, and how Malesian and other growing areas have their own varieties. If you can, visit a market and compare fruit at different stages, from the hard green mango used in savoury dishes to the soft, fragrant ripe fruit eaten out of hand.
Day three: Use your last day to think about ripeness, the single most important thing in choosing and eating a mango. Before you buy, learn to judge by smell, feel and colour rather than by label. In some places the fruit is eaten before it is fully ripe, while in others it is left until it is soft and sweet. End your three days with a simple plate of sliced ripe mango, and you will have followed the fruit from tree to table.