Get cooking with raw
mangoes this season!
From
adding it to drinks or salads, chutneys and pickles, and even making curries
out of it, raw mango is used as a versatile cooking ingredient.
Summer's
here and one of the staples of the season is the King of Fruits the mango.
While the
yellow variety is most popular, there's a host of culinary possibilities with
the green one, too. Here's why the raw mango need not play second fiddle to its
more popular version...
Health
benefits
Raw or ripe mango, both have their own health benefits, says nutritionist Naini Setalvad. She presents a few of them...
Raw or ripe mango, both have their own health benefits, says nutritionist Naini Setalvad. She presents a few of them...
1. Raw
mango helps to refresh you and fight against sunstrokes due to its vitamin C
content. That's why they are an excellent cure for battling heat.
2. The tangy raw mango has no more than 65 calories for 100 grams, which makes it a dieters' delight. In addition, it is extremely rich in fibre, being great for digestion and even alleviating constipation.
2. The tangy raw mango has no more than 65 calories for 100 grams, which makes it a dieters' delight. In addition, it is extremely rich in fibre, being great for digestion and even alleviating constipation.
3. As it
is rich in fibre, raw mangoes are apt for those with mild sugar level problems,
having a low glycemic load of only 5.
4. The
fibre, along with niacin, in raw mango also helps to keep cholesterol down.
Therefore, for those with cardiac problems, raw mango is a great way to indulge
your snacky cravings.
5. They
even contain a high mineral content, with potassium. This means that raw mango
has the power to keep your blood pressure down as well.
6. A high
potassium and magnesium content helps those with acidosis, muscle cramps, stress and heart problems.
8. The
sharp taste of the raw mango is an indicator of how rich it is in vitamin C.
This vitamin acts as an antioxidant. Therefore, it protects our body against
free radicals, which act as toxins.
9. Free
radicals are caused by pollution, stress, junk food, smoking and
it's inevitable in today's world.
The
vitamin C in raw mango fights this, thus helping our skin to glow, and even
make our eyes and hair healthier.
10. Vitamin A in the mango helps prevent macular degeneration (an eye problem) and acts as an antioxidant.
10. Vitamin A in the mango helps prevent macular degeneration (an eye problem) and acts as an antioxidant.
Culinary
delight
Food expert Rushina Munshaw Ghildiyal says raw mangoes are not difficult to cook. "They are used to make chutneys and pickles. Their sourness lends itself perfectly to dips and sauces, too. The fruit can be diced fine and added to salads, chaat and other snacks. Raw mangoes can also be used to make refreshing fruit drinks and mocktails. Cooking them in sugar makes them ideal for desserts. They are also high in pectin which makes them ideal for preserves. Pulped or grated, raw mangoes are added to curries, kadhis and dal. Particularly in South India, raw mango and coconut milk is combined to make a base for fish, prawn and crab curries. In some parts of the country, raw mango is even used to flavour rice," she says.
Food expert Rushina Munshaw Ghildiyal says raw mangoes are not difficult to cook. "They are used to make chutneys and pickles. Their sourness lends itself perfectly to dips and sauces, too. The fruit can be diced fine and added to salads, chaat and other snacks. Raw mangoes can also be used to make refreshing fruit drinks and mocktails. Cooking them in sugar makes them ideal for desserts. They are also high in pectin which makes them ideal for preserves. Pulped or grated, raw mangoes are added to curries, kadhis and dal. Particularly in South India, raw mango and coconut milk is combined to make a base for fish, prawn and crab curries. In some parts of the country, raw mango is even used to flavour rice," she says.
A call
to aams
Mango season is from April through June, but the markets are awash with raw mangoes throughout the year. Green mangoes have sharp taste. Not only are they added as an ingredient to food, but the enzymes in them make them act as a meat tenderiser. Raw mango can be enjoyed sliced and with salt and chilli. It has an aesthetic benefit, too. Owing to its astringent quality, raw mango is said to be effective against acne when boiled in water and applied on the face. Did you know, this fruit is also considered to be a symbol of fertility in certain cultures?
Mango season is from April through June, but the markets are awash with raw mangoes throughout the year. Green mangoes have sharp taste. Not only are they added as an ingredient to food, but the enzymes in them make them act as a meat tenderiser. Raw mango can be enjoyed sliced and with salt and chilli. It has an aesthetic benefit, too. Owing to its astringent quality, raw mango is said to be effective against acne when boiled in water and applied on the face. Did you know, this fruit is also considered to be a symbol of fertility in certain cultures?
Ismat Tahseen,
TNN Apr 5, 2013
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