Summers are back in town and we are going gaga for ’tis the season of mangoes. Perhaps one of the few perks of this season are the juicy, flavourful mangoes available in different varieties.
So here we’ve rounded up a list of 9 kinds of mangoes available in India that’ll give you more reasons to devour this crazy oh-so-yummy fruit! The king of fruits rules our hearts and there’s absolutely nothing better that can replace this very khaas fruit from our lives!
Dasheri from Lucknow & Malihabad, Uttar Pradesh
Hailing from the City of Nawabs, Dasheri mangoes have won millions of hearts across the country. Lucknow, along with it’s adjoining towns are widely famous for its production.
Available in the market from May to August, these royal mangoes are quite popular in North India and distinguishable from other varieties by their green-yellow peel and juicy taste.
Alphonso/Hapus from Ratnagiri, Maharashtra
Named after Afonso de Albuquerque, this voluptuous king of mangoes is one of the most consumed varities in India owing to it’s vibrant yellow colour and ah-so-lovely taste. Did you know that it is also the most expensive variety and is grown mainly in the Konkan region of western India.
Rejoiced far and wide, pair them with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream, and you are officially in for a food-coma.
Kesar Mangoes from Junagadh, Gujarat
As the name suggests, Kesar mangoes owe their name to the saffron appearance and thick juicy taste. Available from May to July, they are also known as the ‘Queen of Mangoes’.
In terms of taste, Alphonso mangoes are generally considered to be better. However, both varieties of mango are delicious and make for a great snack or addition to any dish.
Chausa Mangoes from Hardoi, Uttar Pradesh
Another hotspot from Uttar Pradesh, Chausa Mangoes from Hardoi are a natural pleaser. Known for its succulent shape and pulpy insides, we know you’ve got your hands dirty with this one at least once.
The fruit has a golden-yellow colour, is almost fiber-less, and has an aromatic, pleasant, sweet flavour. Some even consider it the best mango in terms of its rich aroma, sweet taste, juicy pulp and high nutritional value.
Safeda Mangoes from Andhra Pradesh
Safeda OR Banganapalle OR Benishan OR Bernisha, is a mango variety produced in Banganapalle, Andhra Pradesh. It alone occupies 70% percent of total mango cultivable area of the state.
Often referred to as ‘The King of Mangoes in South India’, this fruit is significantly larger than other varieties of mangoes and weighs about 350 grams on average. Exhibiting meaty texture, the thin and firm skin of this mango is sweet in taste and lacks fibre. Moreover, Safeda Mango is known to be rich in vitamin A and C.
Langra Mangoes from Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
Another variety hailing from Uttar Pradesh, the ‘Langra’ mango, also known as Banarasi Langra, is greenish-yellow in colour and exceedingly light; it has a unique round appearance, nonetheless tastes amazing.
Natives of Benaras narrate the tale of a farmer who cultivated this variety of mangoes some 250 years back.
Mankurad Mangoes from Goa
Other than beautiful beeches and creamy blue skies, Goa is also popular for its crazy mangoes – Mankurad. It is a mid-season fruit with very less fibre, the right amount of sweetness and known among mango connoisseurs to be better than the all-famous Alphonso. Usually, these mangoes are available in the local markets of Goa as early as April.
Kilichundan Mango from Kerala
A unique and relatively large variety of mango, Kilichundan aka Totapuri is majorly sold in regions of Kerala. The fruit owes its malayali name to a bird as it’s end resembles the beak of the bird. Known far and wide, this fruit is commonly used by households and restaurants in order to prepare delicious curries and pickles.
Vanraj Mangoes from Gujarat
Vanraj, a unique type of mango from Gujarat is usually high in demand around the state. They are typically oval in shape somewhat like an egg but slightly larger than it. With its skin supporting a reddish tint, the fruit is a rare beauty and thus priced relatively higher than the rest.
Have you tried them all?
