- Home>
- Gallery»
- From Alphonso To Carabao: Popular Mango Varieties Around The World And How To Identify Them Like A Pro
From Alphonso To Carabao: Popular Mango Varieties Around The World And How To Identify Them Like A Pro
Summer and mangoes undoubtedly go hand in hand. Now that it’s summer again, how can we not talk about the king of fruits. mangoes are indeed one of the most loved seasonal treats across the world. From India’s famous Alphonso mango to the sweet Carabao mango of the Philippines, there are countless varieties of mangoes enjoyed for their unique taste and aroma. While some are juicy and fibreless, others are tangy, pulpy or exceptionally sweet.
Here’s a look at some of the most popular types of mangoes and how to identify them from one another.
Alphonso Mango (India)
Alphonso mangoes are considered to be the ‘king’ of mangoes due to their rich sweetness and silky smoothness. It is also easily recognisable through its golden yellow colour and unique scent. Mainly cultivated in the state of Maharashtra, these mangoes are characterised by their golden-yellow-coloured skin with a touch of red.
How to identify : bright golden yellow skin, ovate shape and sweet natural scent.
Dashri Mango (India)
Dasheri mango is also very popular, especially in North India and in Uttar Pradesh. They are usually green-yellow in colour and soft to the touch. Ripe dashri is so sweet, nice-smelling and soft that it can be eaten directly. These are consumed mainly fresh in the summer months and have a very cooling flavour.
How to identify: green-yellow skin, long, narrow and soft; sweet, juicy flesh.
Kesar Mango (India)
Kesar mangoes are primarily cultivated in Gujarat. The Kesar mango is known for its saffron colour and taste. It is round-shaped with yellow spots on the outer surface. These are highly sweet and widely used in various mango sweets, ice creams and aamras. They are called 'saffron'; in Hindi, the name is 'Kesar' due to the deep colour of their flesh.
How to Identify: It's round in shape, with skin yellow to greenish brown and flesh bright orange in colour.
Langra Mango (India)
This is a popular Indian fruit known for its tart-sweet taste. It is produced in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar. The skin is green even after the mango is fully ripened. They are juicy, fragrant and slightly stringy, and they are round and have green skin.
How to Identify: Skin is green even when ripe, and fruit is medium oval-shaped.
Banganapalli Mango (India)
Banganapalli mangoes, grown in Andhra Pradesh, are one of the largest varieties. They have a soft, fibre-free and sweet pulp with less tanginess, loved by those who prefer their mangoes less tart. They are best enjoyed fresh but are also exported abroad.
How to Identify: The long and elongated shape and smooth and bright yellow skin.
Tommy Atkins Mango (USA)
Tommy Atkins is one of the most extensively exported mangoes worldwide. It achieved its initial widespread use in the United States. One of the most exported varieties of mango, the Tommy Atkins mango, comes in hues of red, green, and orange on the exterior. The fruit is firm and fibrous. It is less sweet than Indian mangoes; its long shelf life makes it ideal for transportation abroad.
How to Identify: Red, green and orange on thick skin and fleshy inside.
Carabao Mango (Philippines)
Carabao mangoes from the Philippines are one of the sweetest mango varieties in the world. and is renowned for its extremely sweet taste. Its exterior is yellow in colour, while the pulp is soft and juicy. Small to medium-sized and bright yellow-skinned when ripe, the flesh is soft and sweet and has very little fibre.
How to Identify: Light yellow peel with tender gold flesh and smooth texture.
Ataulfo Mango ( Mexico)
It is also known as 'honey mango' and is grown in Mexico. It is small-sized, crescent-shaped, and yellow in colour. Its flesh is rich in flavour, buttery, and has low fibre content. The Ataulfo mango is distinguishable by its characteristic crescent shape and its sweet, yielding golden yellow flesh. This fruit is somewhat smaller than the regular mango variety and is covered in yellow skin.
How to Identify: A small curved shape. The skin is thin and smooth with a golden-yellow colour, and the flesh is white and creamy.
Kensington Pride Mango (Australia)
One of the most well-known mango varieties in Australia. Tastes of tropical fruit, juicy flesh and sweet smell. Often eaten fresh when the season is ripe during Australian summer.
How to Identify: Orangey yellow with a red flush, oval shape, of medium size.
Nam Dok Mai Mango (Thailand)
An exquisite Thai mango variety, sweet with a floral flavour and a soft texture, this is the variety predominantly served in the much-loved Thai dish 'mango sticky rice'. It has a soft, juicy flesh, almost entirely free of fibres.
How to identify: long and slender with pale yellow skin and a soft, fresh fragrance
