Want to enjoy fresh mangoes all year round? Here’s how!

There are mangoes on the market, and for fruit lovers across Bangladesh all's right with the world. However, in order to enjoy this sweet treat for the entire year it's important to start preserving them now, because the end of the mango season will come all too soon.

So what can you do to keep enjoying that fresh mango flavour all year round?

The answer is to freeze them of course! Two different methods will be covered here, and both of them have different levels of effort required and quality in the results.

Before we get into it, it's important to emphasise that the particular variety of mango you use can have a large impact on your results. As a general guideline, firm, fiberless mangoes that do not produce large amounts of latex will give the best results, however, that doesn't mean that you can't preserve your favourite variety if it doesn't have those qualities.

For these methods, you will require a freezer, an ice cube tray, containers or ziploc bags, a large tray, and baking paper (optional).

The best results come from using sealable bags.

Preparation stage:

The first thing to do is set aside the mangoes you plan on freezing, and wash them thoroughly with a sponge or cloth to remove any latex sticking to the skin.

This is an important step as the latex can linger and adulterate the taste of the mangoes later!

Peel and dice your mangoes into cubes or slice open the mango, use a spoon to scoop the flesh, and then set them aside. You are ready for the next step.

Tip! If you use bags, make sure to suck out as much air as you can before sealing it in order to prevent freezer burn during long-term storage. This applies to both methods listed here.

Method 1: Nice and easy, literally solid results

Mango puree, prior to being frozen. Photo: Asif Zapata

Once you have your diced mangoes it is time to pull out the blender. 

Place the diced mango in the blender, and blend on medium for 15-30 seconds before pulsing several times. The objective here is to make a thick pulpy juice that's not completely smooth. However the consistency is up to personal preference, so make it smoother or more pulpy to your preference.

Mango puree prior to being frozen overnight. Photo: Asif Zapata

Once you've got your mango puree, carefully scoop it out into an ice cube tray and let it freeze overnight. The end result will be frozen cubes of mango puree, which can easily be used to make fresh juice or milkshakes, simply add several cubes with either a half cup of water or milk and blend once more.

Frozen mango cubes ready for storage or blending. Photo: Asif Zapata

Store these cubes in a container or in a sealable bag in the freezer

Frozen mango cubes, ready for storage. Photo: Asif Zapata

Method 2: Time consuming, but oh so worth it.

This next method is for the true mango aficionados, who want to be able to eat mango whenever they wish. 

This method is time consuming but worthwhile. Starting off, you will need a tray, baking paper, and lots of time and space in your freezer.

First, you will need to dry your mango pieces for best results, which can be done by patting them with some kitchen paper. This can be done by placing kitchen paper on a plate before placing your mango chunks on it. Use another piece of paper to gently pat the top halves dry before moving to the next step.

Freshly sliced mangoes prior to freezing. Photo: Asif Zapata

Place a sheet of baking paper on a tray then start arranging your mango chunks on it, making sure that no pieces are touching.

Once it's done, place it in the freezer for 12 hours or overnight, take out the tray, and then place every individually frozen piece in a container or ziplock bag. 

Sliced mangoes after being frozen overnight. Photo: Asif Zapata

This method prevents the mangoes from freezing into a single solid mass, making it much easier to use later on. Repeat this process until you've frozen as much mango as you think you will need to last the year.

Packaged frozen mango slices. Photo: Asif Zapata

Depending on the variety, the consistency of these frozen mangoes can go from a soft creamy ice cream-like texture to a more fibrous one that is better used for blending into drinks.

If you want to opt for more traditional methods of preservation, there is always pickling or drying, however, a little bit of the mango magic is lost in the process that can only be found again in the next season.

Whatever you choose to do, making sure you can enjoy the King of Fruits throughout the year is always worth the effort.