Perfect dish to use up seasonal mangoes that are slightly underripe. It’s that time of the year when juicy, ripe, sweet mangoes are hitting the shelves at our local market. We’ve been making a lot of mango popsicles and mango lassi and even frozen mango margaritas for those Friday evenings, but lately I’ve been feeling like a savory mango dish. If we are lucky, the mangoes go on sale while they are still in prime condition (and not overripe), but since Mr K and I are both really good at choosing the best mangoes, we can generally avoid the disappointing ones. We almost always go for the ones that are just ripe or slightly underripe. Those ones that are not quite fully ripe yet, are absolutely PERFECT for this Sri Lankan Mango Curry dish!
Mango curry
A delicious mango curry like this MUST be made with fresh mangoes, though. If you use frozen mango, it gets too mushy and the peel doesn’t hold it all together and you end up with a not-quite-appetizing mess. My husband grew up eating fruit curries like mango curry, apple curry, jackfruit curry etc. in Sri Lanka and loves it. I, on the other hand, loved snacking on fresh, juicy mangoes that came straight from the tree, and didn’t much care for it in a curry form. But my taste buds have certainly become more refined with age, and I can now truly appreciate all the complex flavors that permeate this rich, flavorful dish. Sweet, tart, sour, fruity, spicy… this Sri Lankan mango curry is nothing if not flavorful. Curry recipes typically serve as a side-dish for rice in Sri Lanka, but every time we make this mango curry (or green apple curry), rice becomes an after-thought. This is the star.
How to prep the mangoes
When prepping, I cut the mango cheeks, and then cut each cheek into 3 strips. The remaining fleshy portion on either side of the seed is also cut into two strips, so you end up with a total of 8 strips, plus the seed. Do NOT throw away the seed! It adds some texture to the dish, and we love sucking on the seed at the end too! 🙂 I also do NOT peel the mangoes. The peel holds the flesh together, and it adds flavor and texture as well. And we often eat the peel as well. Nothing goes to waste!
What type of mangoes to use for this mango curry
I used Kent mangoes for this recipe (sold as “Red Mangoes” here in the Mid West), because that’s what’s available to use. It has firm flesh – even when perfectly ripe, so it’s perfect for a mango curry. You don’t want to use mangoes with very soft flesh though. Kensignton Pride, Tommy Atkins, Haden, Keitt, Francis mangoes, would all be great for a curry as well. This Sri Lankan mango curry is deceptively easy to make. Just keep in mind that you will need to adjust sugar and vinegar levels according to the fruit that you use. So always taste test and adjust the amount of seasoning.
Curry powder for this mango curry
The curry powder that I use is my Sri Lankan curry powder. If you absolutely have to, you can substitute it with an authentic curry powder or Garam Masala (a sweeter curry powder). The taste will be slightly different since you’ll be altering the curry base, but it’ll still be delicious, I guarantee it! This Sri Lankan mango curry is vegan and gluten free. It’s amazingly flavorful and aromatic on its own, but even better when paired with other vegetarian curries like this creamy cashew curry, or carrot curry or jackfruit curry, or even a fish curry or spicy meat curry like this black pork curry!
