Why You Definitely Can (And Should) Eat Unripe Mangoes

Growing up in Colombia, one of my favorite childhood street foods was something many people find unsettling: unripe mangoes. We'd eat them as treats after biking to the park on Sundays, complementing their perfect sourness by adding vinegar and salt on top. It wasn't until we moved to the U.S. that I realized many people have never eaten an unripe mango. Even worse, many people think that you can't eat them. I found this as tragic as learning that people don't put cheese into their hot chocolate. The fruit is actually enjoyed in several countries around the world, providing many dishes with delicious tanginess.

If you're intrigued but are convinced that unripe food is bad for you, put your worries to rest. Green mango is tasty, and many believe it has health benefits. The fruit has high concentrations of vitamins A, C, and K, which are believed to help boost the immune system, and promote eye and skin health. It also has a lot of fiber, so eating it can improve your digestion. 

All in all, there really is no good reason to not enjoy unripe mangoes. If most people in the U.S. haven't tried them, it's because mangoes start ripening as soon as they're harvested, so green ones can be hard to come by outside tropical areas. By the time they get to the store, they're often sweet, soft, and ripe. However, if you can get your hands on one before it ripens, your culinary life will change.

Once you get past the idea that mangoes shouldn't be green, you'll find that this ingredient has many uses. The easiest way to enjoy green mangoes is to simply slice them up and eat them. I recommend the salt and vinegar combination for those who love simplicity and sourness. You can also try a myriad of international recipes. South African Durban curry, for instance, is made with green mangoes. In India, they are used for chutneys, relishes, and fish stews. They're also the main ingredients in som tum mamuang, or Thai green mango salad. If you're into pickling, you'll love making your own green mango achaar following South Asian recipes. If you're still unsure about eating a completely green mango, you can start softly by making a Trinidadian curry mango, which uses partially ripe fruits.

In the end, cooking is all about trying new things and experimenting. Making some tried and true recipes from countries that have been eating green mango for a long time is a great way to become familiar with the ingredient. Eventually, you can start playing around and making your own recipes, like a fun homemade salsa. The main idea is to get people to eat more green mangoes and to avoid the tragedy of them going their entire life never tasting this delicious and underrated fruit.