How to Cut Mangoes and Pineapple

The entire idea behind this blog is leave my kids my favorite recipes and teach them the simple things that I know how.



To most of the cook this may not be nothing new, but in my household I being the only minority (female)I end up doing all the cooking and chopping etc....and I always end up cutting these fruits for my kids and my husband.



My father who use to travel to Goa many time on business trips. He always used to bring big baskets of pineapples and the entire house would be filled with sweet aroma of pineapples.



Also during Mango season he would bring huge baskets of Alfonso, Langda, Dassheri, Kesar, Chausa and Bottle Mangoes home. These are some of the about 70-80 varieties of Mangoes that you get in India.



He was always very specific about how to cut mangoes and pineapples without making a big mess and without getting them too mushy, no matter how ripe they were.



I want to teach this to my kids so they know how to do this the simple way he taught me.




* First always always wash the fruits and your hands before cutting any fruits.




* Always use sharp knife and a cutting board and be very very careful, keeping the sharp edge away from you and your hands.




* For pineapple just chop the crown off and slice it in to half and then each half to four slices with the core and skin intact.




* Now take each slice and take the core off, and cut the entire slice in to desired size pieces but keeping the skin still intact on the slice.




* Then finally take the skin off with the knife dropping all the cubes it to a bowl.




* For mango, peel the washed mango skin with sharp peeler.




* Now hold the entire peeled mango in your hand and run the knife vertically and horizontally in to pulp with one stroke each making a deep grid in to to the mango till you feel the seed.




* Then just run the knife close to the seed taking these cubes from the grid off of mango without squeezing the mango too much in to your hands.





* Discard the seed.





* Refrigerate the cubes of cut fruit or just serve them at room temperature with your favorite dessert or just plane as a healthy dessert.










Yumm :) My favorite fruits for dessert !!





























Photographs by Surekha. Thank you Papa for teaching me this :)

Fresh Mango Pineapple Salsa with Black beans and Corn

With fresh delicious Mango in season and my son home, and Costco having array of corn chips: black and avocado chips... I was inspired to make this salsa. Whenever I make salsa, I don't follow any recipe...I just use whatever I have in my pantry goes.
This recipe is pretty versatile, you can adjust the amount of ingredients and chop them to your desired consistency, chunky or smooth you decide....whatever your palate desires.
So here is how I made it this time...
Ingredients:


* 2 ripe mangoes (without visible fibers) chopped in to small cubes


* 1 20 oz can of crushed pineapple or tidbits or chopped fresh ripe pineapple if available


* 1 30 oz can of crushed tomatoes


* 1 can of black beans


* 1 can of yellow corn kernel


* 1 bunch of cilantro leaves chopped


* 1 red onion


* 1 yellow onion


* 1 green pepper


* 1 red pepper (I did not have it but would be very nice and colorful to use)


* 2 Fresh Jalapeno peppers (optional)


* 6 cloves of garlic


* 1/2 cup of pickled Jalapenos chopped(can adjust the amount)


* 1and 1/2 cup of vinegar from pickled Jalapenos or white vinegar


* Salt to taste


* 2 tables spoon of taco seasoning mix


* 2 tables spoon of roasted cumin powder


* 1 tables spoon of Spanish Paprika powder


* 1 tables spoon of cayenne pepper powder (optional or to desired taste)





Method:



* Chop peppers, garlic, onions and cilantro to desired consistency (I was lazy this time and I just chopped everything in the food processor, but you can chop them really fine with hands, but you have to like chunky consistency)


* Add the chopped items to crushed tomatoes and corn and beans.


* Add pineapple and mangoes, salt, all the spices, and vinegar.


* Mix well, until everything is well incorporated.


* Serve fresh with chips or as a topping of your favorite dish.


* Store in airtight jar in fridge.


* Would stay good for 3-4 weeks.




Enjoy :)

Recipe and Photographs by Surekha.