To avoid any unpleasant surprises from bringing home an underripe or overripe mango, there are a few tips for identifying, as soon as it hits the shelves, whether this exotic fruit is ready to eat.
The color of the mango does not indicate whether it is ripe
Unlike strawberries, if the mango is green, that doesn't mean it's not ripe! On market stalls, we recognize the mango by its large oval shape and its gradient of colors between green, orange and red. A criterion which changes depending on the variety, and which is therefore difficult to refer to to know whether the mango is ripe or not. Among the main varieties of this exotic fruit, the Osteen will be entirely brown; the rather green Tommy Atkins with a few touches of red; the Haden almost entirely red and the Velencia Pride orange.
Three criteria to identify a ripe mango
Skin, smell and texture are the three essential aspects to know if the mango is ripe. In the same way that you feel an avocado, a few bananas or pears to know if the fruit is ripe, you first need to exert light pressure on the skin of the mango. If the finger bounces slightly without digging in too much, then the fruit is probably ripe. When it comes to mangoes, the key is a skin that is firm but not tough, rather elastic. We assure you nothing complicated! To ensure that the mango is ready for consumption, be sure to smell if a sweet smell is released from the fruit's peduncle (its stem). Once this point has been verified, turn the mango between your fingers to check that its color is bright and its skin shiny. Avoid any mango with spots.
A matter of a minute, for endless taste memories!
