India is home to a wide variety of mangoes, each with its unique flavor, texture, and appearance. Some of the popular types of Indian mangoes include Alphonso, Kesar, Chaunsa, Langra, and Dasheri, among others.
Alphonso mangoes are widely regarded as the king of mangoes and are known for their sweet and aromatic flavor. Kesar mangoes are slightly smaller in size but pack a punch of flavor with their intense sweetness and juicy texture.
Smooth and creamy with a soft skin of deep marigold, Alphonso mangoes are considered to be the pinnacle of mangoes, with a superior taste, flavor, texture and sensation to all others. Bursting with mouth-wateringly fresh juice and flavor, Alphonso mangoes are widely heralded around the world, and especially in India, for their smooth consistency and vibrant taste.
Indian-Americans, in particular, knew exactly what they had been missing. India is the spiritual, cultural, botanical, agricultural, and culinary homeland of the mango—scientifically, Mangifera indica. The South Asian nation grows far more mangoes than any other, representing over 40 percent of the world’s production of the fruit.
Over 1,000 varieties grow in India, each one celebrated and defended in its region, from the bright orange Kesar of Gujarat to the small green Langra of Uttar Pradesh.
But more important than quantity and variety is the fact that India’s mangoes are, by almost all accounts, the world’s most delicious.
Be it salads, smoothies, curries or pickles, mangoes can be incorporated into a wide array of recipes, owing to their versatility. The Alphonso’s Hapoos variety from Ratnagiri, Maharashtra tops the list and is followed by the Kesar and Dashehari varieties from Gujarat and Lucknow, respectively.
With the inrush of new and exquisite varieties, it is only a matter of time before mangoes, once again, become a staple in Indian American cuisine.
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