How a Mango Is Cut and Diced
What You’ll Need:
- A sharp knife and one ripe mango
- A cutting board
- Spoon (not required)
Actions to take:
- Wash the Mango: To get rid of any dirt or pesticide residue, start by giving the mango a thorough wash under running water.
- Find the Pit: The middle of a mango is a sizable, level pit. Cutting around this pit is the aim. The pit runs down the longer axis of the mango, which is visible when you look at it.
- Holding the mango upright on the cutting board, chop off the sides (cheeks). The two “cheeks” of the mango can be removed by making two slices with a sharp knife approximately ¼ inch from the center, avoiding the pit.
- To score the mango, take a cheek and make sure it is skin-side down. Create a grid pattern in the mango’s flesh by making vertical and horizontal incisions with the point of your knife. Take cautious not to sever the skin.
- Once the mango has been scored, invert it so that the cubes are visible by gently pushing the skin from the back.
- Scoop Out the Cubes: Remove the mango cubes using a spoon. Alternatively, you can chop off the cubes and remove the skin if you’d like.
- Carefully cut off the remaining mango from the pit’s edges. Then, peel, slice, or dice the remaining mango, as there is still flesh around the pit.
- Ready to Serve: You can now savor your chopped mango! It can be used as a snack or added to salads, smoothies, and salsas.
Extra Advice:
- Gently push on the skin of a mango to determine its ripeness. It is ready to be cut if it yields slightly when compressed and smells good close to the stem.
- Savor the freshly chopped mango!