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SalemPazhamuthir Nilaiyam

Fresh Produce

How to Choose Fresh Mangoes

Salem is known as the Mango City of Tamil Nadu. Here is how to pick sweet, naturally ripe mangoes and store them well at home.

· 4 min read

Salem is often called the Mango City of Tamil Nadu, and mango season is one of the best times of the year to visit a pazhamuthir nilaiyam. With so many varieties on display, a few simple checks help you bring home fruit that is sweet, ripe and ready when you want it.

Know your variety

Different mangoes suit different uses. Varieties commonly found in the Salem region include:

  • Malgova: large, round and very sweet, with a rich aroma. Great for eating fresh.
  • Imam Pasand: prized for its fine texture and delicate sweetness.
  • Banganapalli: large and mildly sweet with smooth flesh; a dependable everyday choice.
  • Alphonso: fragrant and creamy, excellent for eating and for milkshakes.
  • Neelam: a later-season variety that keeps well and is useful after the peak.

Signs of a good mango

  • Aroma: a ripe mango smells sweet and fruity near the stem. No smell usually means it is not ready.
  • Gentle give: press lightly with your thumb. Ripe fruit yields a little, like a ripe avocado. Rock-hard fruit is unripe; very soft fruit is over-ripe.
  • Colour is not everything: many good varieties stay partly green when ripe. Judge by smell and feel, not only colour.
  • Skin: look for smooth, unbroken skin. Avoid large black patches, wrinkles or oozing near the stem.

Be careful with artificially ripened fruit

Ripening mangoes with calcium carbide is banned in India. Fruit ripened this way can look evenly yellow on the outside while tasting sour or raw inside, and often has little aroma. Buying fruit that smells ripe, and buying in season, are the simplest ways to avoid it.

Storing mangoes at home

  • Ripen unripe mangoes at room temperature, spread out rather than stacked. Wrapping them in newspaper speeds it up.
  • Refrigerate only once ripe; the fridge slows further ripening and keeps them good for a few more days.
  • Wash mangoes well before eating. Many families soak them in water for a while first.

Find mangoes near you

Mango season brings fresh arrivals to our stores. Varieties differ by store and by week, so call your nearest branch to check what is in today.