Marvellous Mangos

It's mango season!  I have been waiting for this for months, and it is finally here, so we are making the most of the glut of this glorious fruit that has arrived in Mumbai.

Despite being the national fruit, mangos are available for two months only, from the start of April until the monsoon hits Mumbai at the beginning of June.  This is true for the whole of India; mangos can be found at other times, but they are a pale imitation of the rich, golden fruits that are currently available in Mumbai.

Carts like this can be seen all over Mumbai, transporting piles of ripe mangos ready for me to eat!

 

There are many varieties of mango, though the favoured type in Mumbai is the Alphonso mango, known at the King of mangos.  I have heard mixed views about whether this mango is truly superior of not, some believe that it's qualities are over-hyped, but it is certainly the symbol of mango season in Mumbai.

 

A box of fresh Alphonsos - they are typically sold in boxes of 12

 

Other, cheaper mangos are also available and I'm told that the popularity of different types of mango varies across the country. Some mangos are used for juice, some for aamras (a delicious mango pulp / milk / sugar combo), some for icecream or smoothies and some simply for eating as they are.  There are certain types of mango that are so lush and juicy that the suggested eating technique is to cut of the top and suck the flesh off the stone without removing the skin.

 

We have been munching on mangos since they arrived a couple of weeks' ago, in which time prices have plummeting and the fruit has grown softer and sweeter.  At the end of last week, Sagar bought a dozen mangos for 500 rupees (£5) and I ate mango at every meal until they were gone.  I intend for this to continue until the monsoon hits and the mangos go away.