Mangos are friendly little creatures, easy to slice and easier to eat. If you know how.
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Step 1: Cut Sides Away From Pit
Depending on the type of mango you've got, the shape and thickness of the pit will vary. The Manila mango I'm using here has a nice flat seed, while the Hayden/Kent/Atkins mangos have thicker rounder seeds.
Using a sharp paring knife, start just off the centerline and cut parallel to the seed along the long axis of the fruit. If you contact the seed, just curve away a bit to follow the contours of the pit. You'll leave more flesh on the pit, but it's not going anywhere. Once you get a feel for the seed sizes in your mangos of choice, this process will get even tidier. You should see the white pit showing in the center piece when you're finished.
Cut both sides off of the pit in this fashion, and set them aside.
Step 2: Remove Skin From Center Piece
Notch and remove the stem area, as it's usually tough and/or bitter. Continue by pulling the skin off the circumference of the pit; if the mango is perfectly ripe it should come off easily. If your mango is a bit underripe you may need to actually do a bit of trimming with your knife. Hold the exposed center of the seed to maintain a good grip, as mangos can be slippery.
Now that you've skinned the center, go ahead and eat it. This is the best part of the mango, and it's your treat for cutting up the mango for your lazy friends or family. Use your teeth to scrape all of the mangoey goodness off of the pit, then remember to floss. Mango pits are fantastic, but also the best impetus to floss this side of corn on the cob.
Step 3: Score the Sides
Now that you've disposed of the pit, it's time to score the side pieces of your mango.
Make a series of parallel cuts, taking care not to cut through the skin. Poking through the skin results in an untidy mango, dripping mango juice, and sometimes blood. Cut the lines as close as you like, so long as you make at least two of them.
Now, spin the mango 90 degrees and repeat the process.
Step 4: Invert
Now that you've scored your mango, flip it inside out. Just push up on the skin side to create a spiky little mango hedgehog.
Note that if you've made less than two cuts in either direction, the mango won't have enough flexibility to invert neatly. The more cuts, the easier it will flip and the better it will look. Here I've gone for a middle-of-the-road approach; sometimes I like to have lots of tiny mango spikes.
Step 5: Serve
Place all of your inverted mango slices on a fancy platter and serve. Decorate as you see fit. While small children like the decorated versions, they cannot be trusted to remember that standard googley eyes are NOT edible. Check out Play With Your Food for more edible decoration suggestions.
This is especially good brunch/buffet food, as it's reasonably mess-free and doesn't require utensils. Just hold the mango and bite off the spikes. Alternatively, slice the spikes off at the base for perfectly-sized mango chunks!
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65 Discussions
11 years ago on Step 3
I tend to use a regular table knife for this step as it's less sharp and has a rounded tip, therefore is less likely to cut the skin.
Reply 10 years ago on Step 3
more likely to need to be forced, and slip though.
11 years ago on Introduction
Nice. I haven't seen a mango cut like that before. Grr... now I want a mango. Now just to tell the kids not to eat those eyes ;)
11 years ago on Introduction
Lol!That's cute! My dad cuts mango like that.
11 years ago on Introduction
OOPS I ate the googly eyes :-p
11 years ago on Introduction
By reading this instructable and seeing the picture T.T.... I dont wanna eat mangos anymore!! =(!!!!
11 years ago on Introduction
cool. i agree w/ ur comment that around the mango pit is the best part. i'll have to try this today
13 years ago
westfw you to find an asian market and buy sticky rice or gelatinous rice same thing different names then just follow you recipe use a steamer basket or a rice steamer and you should be on your way the thai restuarant in sells what they call the combo desert with mangoes sticky and a scoop of homemade coconut ice cream it rocks
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
Just so you know... the sticky or gelatinous white rice used in that Thai dessert is often labeled sweet rice, too.
11 years ago on Introduction
yummy!!!! :)
11 years ago on Introduction
how do you know when its ripe?
11 years ago on Introduction
awesome my uncles wife that lives in kauai diced mango like this it was sooo good they also grew there own mango :]
11 years ago on Step 4
awsome!! m y mom used to make these..!!
Reply 11 years ago on Step 4
Cool! Did she make them into little critters too? What did she use for eyes/etc?
13 years ago on Step 4
Good one! now i can make the mango gazpacho without having to buy the canned mangos. 1 big can of V-8 Diced cubed chopped mango. Chopped cilantro minced white onion, optional: minced garlic, chili pepper flakes, black pepper If you do use the canned mangoes, the syrup they come in can be used, it might add something.
Reply 11 years ago on Step 4
Hey sparks, Somehow I'd missed this comment when you first left it! Sounds awesome. I'm looking forward to trying the recipe.
11 years ago on Step 5
lulz
11 years ago on Introduction
we got tones of mangoes here in philippines and yum yum! great instructable for everyone to know.
11 years ago on Introduction
Mentioned and discussed in the forums, but added here too, for reference.
Fully edible Googly eyes from Evil Mad Scientist Labs...
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
Indeed! They always have great solutions.