The story of how Indian mangos first came to the US starts with a man named Bhaskar Savani: the Pennsylvania dentist, who moved to this country from India, knew that Americans were missing out on one of the most delicious fruits in the world.
Back in Savani’s native state of Gujarat, mangos grew abundantly on trees and could be found piled high in marketplaces, filling the air with their perfume and enticing passersby to bite into their saffron-colored flesh. They were sweeter, suppler, and dripped with far more juice than anything he could find in his adopted home.
After years of determinedly working to convince the government to allow the importation of Indian mangos, Savani finally brought the first shipment of these prized fruits to the US, much to the delight of food fanatics and members of the Indian-American community. Today, he remains one of the few importers of Indian mangos to the US.
Savani’s mangos are grown on his 150-acre plantation back in Gujarat, where trees bearing the fruit grow in long, lush rows. Sometimes, lions and leopards can be found roaming among or snoozing in the orchards, using the shade for protection as they make their way to the nearby wildlife sanctuary at Gir National Park.
Among the mangos destined for the US are Savani’s Kesar mangos, which he affectionately refers to as his “queens.” It’s easy to see why he—and anyone else who has tried them—cherishes them like royalty: they’re almost impossibly sweet and have a creamy flesh that is shockingly free of the fibers that run through mangos grown elsewhere. When you cut or bite into one, it releases juices that you want to bottle up and drink with a straw. After tasting one, the title of “best fruit ever” doesn’t seem like hyperbole.
The “queens” are also in good company with his “kings”: the Alphonso mango. These mangos are renowned for their ultra-sweetness—you could easily eat them plain for dessert. Many chefs have flocked to the Alphonso, taking advantage of the fruit’s high sugar content during their peak season.
Like most good things, Indian mango season doesn’t last. Once the harvest starts around late April, it only keeps on going for another 6–8 weeks. So in that time, there’s an imperative to scoop up and feast on as many mangos as you can.
Finding these gems in brick-and-mortar stores here can be a tricky task and those that are available often get snatched up right away. But at FreshDirect, we’ll do anything to bring these mangos straight to you and to make sure that you can experience their mind-blowing taste.
Just try them. We know that once you do, you’ll be dreaming about them until their season is back again.
Tips for enjoying Indian mangos
• Color is not the best indicator of ripeness. If your fruit is green, that doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s not good to eat. Instead, give your mango a gentle squeeze. It should be tender and yield slightly, and neither mushy nor firm.
• If your mango is on the firm side, place it in a closed paper bag and let it sit at room temperature to until it’s fully ripe.
• To cut a mango, run a chef’s knife down the sides of the flat pit in the center, creating two “cheeks.” Then, score the flesh into smaller pieces and run the knife along the skin to release them.
Mango recipes
RELATED
There are many types of mangos, from the popular green-red Tommy Atkins to luscious golden Champagne mangos. No matter which one you choose, it’ll be delicious during peak mango season from roughly April to July.
