My Pantry Shelf

Have you noticed the beautiful mangoes in the market this month?  They are abundant, inexpensive, and delicious!  Mangoes have firm flesh and a sweet and tangy flavor.  This makes them incredibly versatile.  They are hardy enough to cook, soft enough to eat raw, and excellent in salads and of course chutneys.  First though, you have to know how to cut into the fruit.  Since mangoes have a disc-shaped seed in the center of fruit, it is important to locate it and cut around the seed.

First peel the fruit.

Then, hold the fruit upright and slice down, guiding the knife along the side of the seed.  Repeat on the other half, so you end up with two halves and one seed pod with minimal flesh attached.  Slice or dice the mango halves depending on what you are using it for.

Mango Cranberry Chutney is a medley of sweet mango, tart cranberry, spicy peppers and zippy ginger.  I love having a stash of it in the pantry.  It is a wonderful accompaniment to a cheese platter.  I made this batch especially to serve with Redwood Hill’s cheese at the Sono-Ma Soiree tomorrow night.  It is also delicious as a side to any Indian meal.  Try it with Divine Indian Butter Chicken.

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