Saudi Arabia: It’s Mango Season!

One of the benefits living in Saudi Arabia is the wide and versatile variety of fresh fruits and vegetables available from around the world.  June is a prime month in the Kingdom to enjoy the succulent mango.  A recent Mango festival in Jeddah featured this delicious fruit and all the various ways it can be served.

I was first introduced to freshly picked mangos when I was living in Pakistan.  A friend of mine had a large mango farm in Sind and when mango season arrived he arranged for crates of the most prime mangos to be flown to Islamabad.

The first time I ate a mango was what I was told is a very traditional manner.  I was given the mango and it was so ripe I was able to twist it in half, remove the large pit from the middle and then eat it fresh with a spoon.  After eating the fruit I then tipped each portion of the mango up to slurp up the remaining juices.  It was mango heaven!

In addition to serving mango naturally, it can be made up as chutney, sauces, pies, cakes, bread, muffins and more!  I had a chef in Pakistan who made the smoothest and creamiest mango mousse.

It is very common for Saudis who are in Pakistan to ship crates of mangos to their families in the Kingdom.  Fortunately, mangos are also readily available at the grocery stores in the Kingdom too.

Although not my cook’s, here is a recipe for mango mousse:   

Ingredients:

 

1/2 cup lime juice
Pinch of salt
4 lb Ripe mangoes
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tblsp unflavored gelatin
2 egg whites
1/2 cup heavy cream

 

How to make mango mousse:

  • Peel the mangoes, sliced the flesh off the seeds, and puree in an electric blender with the lime juice, being careful not to over -blend.
  • There will be 5 cup of puree.
  • Stir in the sugar.
  • Dissolve the gelatin in 1/4 cup hot water, cool, and stir into the mango puree.
  • Beat the egg whites with the salt until they stand in peaks.
  • Whip the cream until it is stiff.
  • Fold the cream into the egg whites, then fold this mixture gently into the mango puree.
  • Pour into a big size serving dish, or into individual dishes, and chill in a freezer for 2 to 3 hours, or until set.
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