How to Cut a Mango

Somehow my sister and I ended up on the subject of mangoes on the phone this morning.  I love mangoes.  My sister likes them, but doesn't buy them because she can't figure out the stone and the dumb fruit infuriates her.

My husband just returned from the Mexican market with a 1/2 lb of ceviche and 2 ripe mangoes.  So I decided to blog a pictorial "how to" for my lil sis.

Here's to you, Lem.  

1.  Size up your fruit.  Figure out it's axis.  I've added a big black line to my mango to help you visualize this.  It takes some practice, so be patient.  The blasted, infuriating stone has been identified.  

2.  Here's another view, stemside.  The tricksy stone is now running horizontally.  This would be a bad angle to start hacking into the thing.  This what you usually do, I'm guessing.  Hack into it.  Just like you hacked into the whiskers of all my stuffed animals when I was 10.  

3.  Cut parallel to the identified axis (see pic 1) in a slight arc.  If you're really good, like me, you should skim the stone with the knife.  

4.   Repeat on the other side.  Now you have 2 big juicy hunks and a big, flat stone.  When's the last time you had 2 big juicy hunks?!  Funny?  No?  You laughed, I can hear you from here.   

5.  Now you cut a checkerboard into your halves and turn them inside out.  You get nice bite size chunks that you can peel off with your fingers and add to your fruit salad or mango cream coconut banana pastry (if you actually make that without me I'll divorce you) or, if you're not sharing, like if this is your "personal mango" you can just go at it.  

Annnndddd... I don't have any more pictures because this was my personal mango and I quickly became much too sticky to pick up my camera.  Mmmmm.  It was good.  Hope this eases your tension next time you eyeball those delicious little exotic mangoes at Kroger.  Peace.   Xoxox