Roaming Roots

Mango, aam

This post is a bit of a cheat in the foraging world since I only have to walk into my backyard in July and August to harvest ripe mangoes.

In 2022, the winds from Hurricane Ian violently sheared off 1/3 of our 30-foot mango tree. However, in a matter of weeks, the tree began to recover and this is our first harvest since.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The mango is a sturdy, dome-shaped evergreen tree that grows to a height of 50-100 feet. Possessing simple, lanceolate and alternate leaves that, when new, are slightly curled and orange-pink. As the leaves mature, they turn red, then a dark, glossy green. Crushed leaves will release a distinctive resinous odor.

Flowers are produced in multi-branched panicles approximately 4–15 inches long containing about 3000 small whitish-red or yellowish-green flowers, each with five petals and a mild, sweet fragrance.

Mangoes are a drupe and consist of a smooth, waxy skin surrounding the edible yellow flesh and a central fibrous stone containing the seed (other stone fruits include cherries and peaches). The trees are known to be long-lived with some specimens fruiting after 200 or 300 years.

AN ORIGIN STORY

• Northern India is hypothesized to be the birthplace of the mango as fossilized mango leaves from the Paleocene period (65-56 million years ago) have been uncovered. We also know that mangoes were being cultivated 3500 years ago as the fruit is featured in early Vedic literature and sacred Hindu scriptures, the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad and the Puranas.

• It is believed that Buddhist monks introduced the mango to eastern parts of Asia, the Malay Archipelago and Southern China in the 4th and 5th centuries. In these two locations the mango was cultivated separately over centuries, resulting in two distinct varieties (i.e., the “Indian type” and the “Southeast Asian type”).

• In the 4th century the mango also traveled to the Middle East. The Mughal emperor, Ẓahīr-ud-Dīn Muhammad Bābur, famously praised the mango in his autobiography, the Bāburnāma (c. 16th century).

• Persians traders carried the mango to East Africa (c. 10th century) and the Portuguese to West Africa (c.16th century).

• The Portuguese are also responsible for the mango’s arrival on the South American continent. After becoming established in Brazil, the mango was transported to the Caribbean (c. 18th century) and then Mexico (c. 19th century). 

• The first recorded attempt to introduce the mango into the U.S. came in 1833 by Dr. Henry Perrine in the state of Florida. Click here to read more about the history of mango cultivation in south Florida.

ETYMOLOGY

The earliest known name for the mango was ‘amra-phal’ which was translated to ‘aam-kaay’ in Tamil in South India. This gradually morphed into ‘maamkaay’ from which the Malayali people took to calling the fruit ‘maanga’ but it was the Portuguese that bestowed the name we know today – ‘mango.’

MYTHOLOGY & CULTURE

Hinduism

Jainism

The mother/fertility goddess Ambikā is typically portrayed near a lion, having four arms, – two holding children and the other two holding a mango and a mango branch.

Buddhism

In Buddhism, mangoes symbolize the potential for enlightenment and there are numerous stories featuring the fruit:

• The Buddha was King Mahājanaka in a former life. After observing that a fruitless mango tree was not damaged and plundered by harvesters, he decided to withdraw from worldly concerns and become an monk: “This kingdom is like the fruitful tree, but the ascetic life is like the barren tree; it is the possessor of property who has fears, not he who is without anything of his own. Far from being like the fruitful tree I will be like the barren one – leaving all my glory behind, I will give up the world and become an ascetic.” The Birth Story about (King) Mahājanaka (Mahānipāta)
• The Buddha declares that he will perform a miracle at the foot of a mango tree. To prevent this, rival spiritual teachers uproot all the mango trees in the area. On the specified day, a lone mango fruit is found by a gardener and presented to the Buddha who eats the flesh and plants the seed in the ground. He then washes his hands over the area and a mature mango tree full of fruits and flowers immediately sprouts from the earth. The 6th Year (Miracles) – The Buddha’s Journeys

TRADITIONAL USES & HERBAL BENEFITS

Mango leaves and bark can be used to dye fabric a yellow ochre color. The wood is used as flooring and in the construction of furniture. I personally used some of our branches felled by Hurricane Ian to cultivate oyster mushrooms.

Medicinal: Most of the mango tree are used in Ayurvedic and indigenous medicine, including the roots, bark, leaves, fruits, seeds, flowers and kernels/seeds.

The powerful polyphenolic antioxidant and glucosyl xanthone, mangiferin, has been isolated from the mango in the laboratory. This pharmacologically important chemical has strong antioxidant, lipolytic, immunomodulating, anticancer, antiallergic, hypotensive, wound healing, antidegenerative, antidiabetic , and antimicrobial activities.

Extracts of unripe fruit, bark and leaves are have historically been consumed for their antiseptic qualities. Subsequent contemporary research has identified anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-parasitic, antiviral, anti-bone resorption, antispasmodic, antipyretic, hepatoprotective, and gastroprotective qualities.

Mango sap is used to treat scabies, wounds such as cracked feet, and is also considered anti-syphilitic. Other treatments range from inhaling fumes of burning mango leaves to drinking decoctions of the kernel, and the list of ailments that mango is used traditionally to treat is wide-ranging:

“abscesses, broken horn, rabid dog or jackal bite, tumour, snakebite, stings, datura poisoning, heat stroke, miscarriage, anthrax, blisters, wounds in the mouth, tympanitis, colic, diarrhea, glossitis, indigestion, bacillosis, bloody dysentery, liver disorders, excessive urination, tetanus”

Culinary: Mangoes have a long culinary history and the fruit is high in potassium, vitamins C, E, A, B3, B5, B6 and B2. Unripe mangoes are used in chutneys, pickles, and salads. Mature mangoes are generally sweet with a flavor some describe as a mix of peaches, oranges, and pineapples. There are innumerable recipes for ripe mango desserts, preserves, curries, and drinks such as the famous mango lassi. In some regions, the high-protein kernels are ground into flour after leaching.

SAFETY ALERT

The mango is of the genus Mangifera which belongs to the cashew family, Anacardiaceae. Plants in this family, including poison ivy, poison oak and the mango, produce an oleoresin called urushiol that causes an allergic reaction. Susceptible individuals can develop contact dermatitis, and in severe cases anaphylaxis, from exposure to mango sap.

RECIPES

In researching, I learned that our mango is a Tommy Atkins. First developed in Florida in the 1920s by horticulturist H.E. Tommy Atkins, this variety is known for it’s long shelf-life, disease-resistance and ability to tolerate shipping long distances. The Tommy Atkins is not considered the sweetest for fresh eating, but its slightly more fibrous flesh is excellent for baking.

Mango Recipe #1

Miniature Strawberry, Rose & Mango Upside Down Cakes

Modified from Easy and Delish Mango Upside Down Cake

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350° F and grease a muffin or cupcake pan. Toss fruit and flower petals with lime juice and set aside.

Beat softened butter and sugar together at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the whole eggs one at a time, and then the egg yolk, and beat after each . Mix in vanilla and yogurt. Whisk together dry ingredients and add half of the flour mixture. Beat at a low speed until just combined. Mix in mango juice, then add remaining flour mixture until just combined.

Spoon the batter over the fruit and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes before unmolding. Serve slightly warm with ice cream.

Mango Recipe #2

Aam Papad / Aam Shotto

This northern Indian dessert is simply mango fruit leather seasoned with cardamom powder. The recipe I modified was from Playful Cooking.

Peel and chop fresh mangoes and place into a saucepan. Cook gently over medium-low heat to break down the fruit pulp before using an immersion blender to puree. Add sugar and cardamom to taste and stir until sugar is dissolved.

Lightly grease dehydrator trays before pouring mango mixture into trays. Dehydrate over night at 140° F. Once dry, peel the fruit leather off the tray. Then slice into 3 inch segments and roll. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

References

_{Ediriweera, M.K., Tennekoon, K.H. & Samarakoon, S.R. (2017). A review on ethnopharmacological applications, pharmacological activities, and bioactive compounds of Mangifera indica (mango). Evidenced Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine, 6949835. https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/6949835}

_{Flowerree, D. (n.d.). Origin and distribution. The Mango Factory. https://www.themangofactory.com/history/origin-and-distribution/}

_{Lauricella, M., Emanuele, S., Calvaruso, G., Giuliano, M. & D’Anneo, A. (2017, May 20). Multifaceted health benefits of Mangifera indica L. (mango): The inestimable value of orchards recently planted in Sicilian rural areas. Nutrients, 9(5), 525. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5452255/}

_{Mangifera indica. (2024, June 21). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mangifera_indica}

_{Mango. (2024, June 21). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mango}

_{Pal, S. (2016, June 7). Food for thought: Unpeeling the mango’s interesting history in India. The Better India. https://thebetterindia.com/57267/mango-national-fruit-of-india-history/}

_{Patil, V., Chaudhari, P., Chavan, S., Angadi, S. & Kale, S. (2023). Phytochemical, pharmacological and nutritional values of Mangifera indica: An overview. International Journal of Creative Research Thoughts, 11(12), d238-251. https://ijcrt.org/papers/IJCRT2312366.pdf}

_{Paul, K.A. (2020, February 25). Mango tree unlocks the identity of an Indian goddess. https://www.artsbma.org/mango-tree-unlocks-the-identity-of-an-indian-goddess/}

_{Shah, K.A., Patel, M.B., Patel, R.J. & Parmar, P.K. (2010, January). Mangifera indica (mango). Pharmacognosy Review, 4(7), 42-8. doi: 10.4103/0973-7847.65325. ttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3249901/#:~:text=Mangifera%20indica%20(MI)%2C%20also,the%20flowering%20plant%20family%20Anacardiaceae.}

_{Singh, N. (2016). Origin, diversity and genome sequence of mango (Mangifera indica L.). Indian Journal of History of Science, 51(2.2). 10.16943/ijhs/2016/v51i2.2/48449}

_{Talukder, P. (2022, July 21). Mango mania: The history and culture of mangoes. The Science Survey. https://thesciencesurvey.com/spotlight/2022/07/21/mango-mania-the-history-and-culture-of-mangoes/}

_{Taster Place. (2021, August 23). Mango, pearl of the Orient: its history, myth and uses. https://tasterplace.shop/en-us/blogs/news/pearl-of-the-orient-mango-and-its-history-myth-and-uses}