How To Cut A Mango
Learn How to Cut a Mango Right Now
Mangos are tasty but they are also very messy, so learning how to cut a mango properly can make the process easier. Mangos are not only sticky and fibrous, they have an annoying large, flat seed right in the middle of the fruit. However, with a few simple techniques you can be cutting up mangos like a pro, and even proudly displaying your work to family and friends.
The most popular method of how to cut a mango is known as the inside-out procedure. You should have a clean cutting board and knife and have washed your hands and the mango before beginning. First, hold the mango stem down on the cutting board. Look for the center line of the mango--it will be the widest spot where the flat seed is located. That is the center of the fruit. Cut ¼ of an inch to the right of the center down the entire fruit. Then cut ¼ inch to the left of the center, straight down the fruit. You will now have three pieces of mango: the right (cheek) the left (cheek) and the center piece with the seed in it.
Take one of the mango cheeks and cut parallel lines in it. Cut only down to the skin, not through the skin. Then rotate the mango a half inch to the right or left and make more parallel lines so that the surface of the mango now looks like a checkerboard. Take one of the cheeks and push the skin upward as if trying to push it through the squares you just made. This is the part of the process known as turning the mango inside out. Do the same to the other cheek. You will now have a skin base with mango chunks sticking out in all directions that looks rather like a porcupine. Some people even decorate mangos for kids by attaching eyes to the front. Now it’s time to scrape off the chucks and eat or put it on a serving tray for guests and start the process all over again. Don’t forget to eat the middle-seed part of the mango yourself as a reward for all the work you have done.
A simpler method of how to cut a mango can be used for the family at breakfast. It begins the same as the inside-out method. Hold the mango on your cutting board stem side down. Visually locate the center line of the mango which holds the seed. With your knife, cut down the mango one-quarter inch to the right of the center. Turn the mango around and do the same to the other side. Once again, you will have the two cheeks and the seed center. Take both cheeks and with each cut lines running parallel down the mango. Then scoop the mango out of the skin and eat it using a spoon.
If you don’t like cutting your mango with a sharp knife, there is another way to separate the two mango cheeks from the middle seeded layer. You can buy a mango splitter or ask for one for Christmas. Then all you do is hold the mango stem-end down on your cutting board. Position your mango splitter atop your mango, with the splitter opening aligned with the center of the mango (the widest part). Push down hard on the mango splitter and it will separate the cheeks from the seed just like that.
The next time you want to eat a mango without making a mess, try any of these techniques. And if you are entertaining, experiment with the inside-out method. With all the little mango chunks sticking out, your guests will think you spent hours in preparation.