International: Polynesian/Pacific Rim and Caribbean: Basic Mango Preparation

Not sure how to cut up the tropical mango? Although there's no mystery to cutting a mango, these tips take away the guesswork!

Author: Chef Allen Susser at the National Mango Board
Date: July 30, 2009

Suggestions: A mango has one long, flat seed in the center of the fruit. Once you learn how to work around the seed, the rest is easy.

Always use a clean knife and cutting board to cut a mango. If you've handled or cut any type of meat or seafood, you must ALWAYS sanitize your hands, work area, utensils and cutting board before handling or cutting any fruits or vegetables, including mangoes.

Always wash the mango before cutting.

Serves: 2 person(s)

Preparation Time: 5 mins
Cooking Time: 0 mins

Ingredients:

1 fresh mango

Directions:

1) "SLICE AND SCOOP" MANGO CUTTING METHOD: Stand the mango on your cutting board stem end down and hold. Place your knife about 1/4" from the widest center line and cut down through the mango. Flip the mango around and repeat this cut on the other side. The resulting ovals of mango flesh are known as the "cheeks". What's left in the middle is mostly the mango seed.

Cut parallel slices into the mango flesh, being careful not to cut through the skin.

Scoop the mango slices out of the mango skin using a large spoon.

2) "INSIDE OUT" MANGO CUTTING METHOD: Stand the mango on your cutting board stem end down and hold. Place your knife about 1/4" from the widest center line and cut down through the mango. Flip the mango around and repeat this cut on the other side. The resulting ovals of mango flesh are known as the "cheeks". What's left in the middle is mostly the mango seed.

Cut parallel slices into the mango flesh, being careful not to cut through the skin. Turn the mango cheek 1/4 rotation and cut another set of parallel slices to make a checkerboard pattern.

Turn the scored mango cheek inside out by pushing the skin up from underneath.

Scrape the mango chunks off of the skin, using a knife or a spoon.

Hint: If you are making a recipe that calls for diced mango, make both directions of parallel slices in step 2 closer together. In step 4, slice the mango flesh away from the skin in several shallow layers, rather than scraping down to the skin in one step. The result is small pieces of diced mango and no need to further cut up the mango pieces on your cutting board.

3) USING A MANGO SPLITTER: Stand the mango on your cutting board stem end down and hold. Center the Mango Splitter above the mango, with the opening in the splitter aligned with the widest part of the mango.

Firmly push down to separate the mango flesh from the seed.

Use the "Slice and Scoop" or the "Inside Out" methods shown above to separate the mango flesh from the skin in cubes, dices or slices.