The mango season has begun here in India. The mangoes in orchards usually flower around January. The small mangoes, good for pickling, are plucked and washed, and put in ceramic jugs along with salt. After a month or so, red chili powder is added along with mustard powder and mixed. Then it is shut tight and kept for a few months, after which it can be used.
The mangoes begin to ripen around April. Mango shakes, mango bars, mango curries, and sambhars are all part of the mango season in India and all around the world, where people who love to eat mangoes buy them. There are so many varieties of mangoes that many might not have eaten all of them.
The sad thing is that people now pluck unripe mangoes and use chemicals to spray them and then artificially ripen them. Pesticides are also sprayed to keep them insect-free. The mangoes are packed in crates and sold to people who are unaware of the chemical treatment. Homemakers would wash them most probably, but do not expect a street vendor who sells mango shakes to wash them. So, if you are going to order a mango shake from a shop, request the person to wash the fruit before juicing it.
One should remember that mangoes produce heat in the body. So, drink enough water to cool the body, especially during the hot summer. Mangoes can be stored for a long time if it is sun dried, pickled, or made into jams or sweet bars.
What variety of mango grows in your place? If possible, plant a mango seed and watch it grow into a tree. Fruit trees are home to birds, give shade, and provide food to all beings.
image generated by AI