[dropcap]S[/dropcap]ummer season in India is quite synonymous with mangoes. One can always find the fruit in an India house either overflowing from inside the refrigerator or packed in cartons on the kitchen shelves. It is also the one fruit we Indians have many memories associated with, mostly childhood.
Now that the summer season is here, it is once again that time to go on a binge over the pulpy and delicious fruit for another four months. In India, almost every state boasts of their great stock and variety. There are approximately 500-1000 cultivars of different mangoes in the country. This huge variety not only differs in its shape, size, and color but also in its rich taste.
Here are some of the tastiest and mouth-watering mangoes from India that you can target this summer.
1. Alphonso– Found in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, and Madhya Pradesh is the most famous mango grown in India and also referred as the king of mangoes. It is found from May till June.
With its perfect golden color and green taste, Alphonso is a perfect creation. This mango is named after Afonso de Albuquerque, a Portuguese soldier who established colonies in Goa. It was the Portuguese, who introduced grafting on mango trees to produce extraordinary varieties like Alphonso.
2. Chaunsa- The name was given by the Muslim Suri Emperor Sher Shah Suri. It is found in Bihar, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, mostly the northern parts of India. It is sweet, juicy and very nutritious. The heavenly sweet taste of this mango will make you lick up every drop of its nectar. It is found only on June and July.
3. Dasehri- Found in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Punjab, Dasheri is not only taste but has a magical aroma. It is the oldest variety of mangoes in India with its origin tracing back to as long as 200 years. The sweet syrup of this mango makes you have at least 2-3 mangoes at a time. It is available in June and July.
4. Langra- Found in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal and Punjab, the mother tree of this variety exists in Varanasi. Since the owner of that tree was, unfortunately, lame, the mango was thus named as “Langra”. This variety is distinctively fibrous, with a unique taste as well. As precious and tasty it is, one can get it for only a short span of June and early July.
5. Safeda or Banganapalli- Found in Andhra Pradesh, these mangoes have a gorgeous yellow color and are sweet and fiberless. An unspoiled obliquely oval specimen presents an unblemished golden yellow thin edible skin. These mangoes are large sized, weighing on an average 350-400 grams. Fortunately, this sweet delight is found for three months from April to June.
6. Himsagar- Found in West Bengal and Bihar, it is accepted to be the best kind of mango for desserts and drinks. It is a yellow skin mango with creamy, fleshy fiber-free body. Considered by most to be the most superior of all mango cultivars in the world it shares the label of ‘King of Mangoes’ with Alphoso. It has a sweet aroma and is musky sweet in taste. It is often considered as the. Himsagar ripens in June, and it is available in the market from the second week of June to the end of June. It is mainly grown in the districts of Nadia, Murshidabad, Maldah and Hooghly.
7. Kesar- Found in Gujarat, this mango goes synonymous India’s famous dessert “Aamras” It is a golden color variety of mango with juicy mango pulp. It is also known for its “saffron” fragrance. The ‘Gir Kesar’ mango also has Geographical Indication (GI) tag. It is the only other variety of mango in India to get GI registration after the Dussheri mango grown in Uttar Pradesh. It is found in May and June.
8. Totapuri- Found in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu, this mango its name from the fruit’s hooked tip, resembling parrot’s beak. Unlike other popular mangoes of India, this mango isn’t known for its sweetness; rather it’s great for salads, pickles, drinks. It is available for a long period of April to July.
