Don’t let a mango’s warm, tropical hue fool you—this fruit can be a bitch to cut. I’m sure I’m not the only one who has completely failed at what should be a simple task, so learn from my mistakes and follow this guide to learn how to properly cut this delicious fruit and avoid fruity embarrassment:
Photo by Alex Weiner
1. Grab a cutting board and wash the mango (this part shouldn’t be too challenging…hopefully).
2. With one hand, tightly hold the mango so it is standing upright. With a sharp knife, slice off one side of the mango as close to the pit as possible.
Photo by Alex Weiner
3. Do the same thing to the other side.
4. Use a knife to make lengthwise cuts in both halves, but make sure not to cut through the peel. To make mango cubes, make cuts going the opposite way too, creating a checkerboard pattern.
Photo by Alex Weiner
5. Place a thumb on each side of a half of mango and your fingers underneath so they are touching the skin. Turn the mango half inside out by gently pushing the skin up from underneath. Then take a deep breath.
Photo by Alex Weiner
6. Next, you can either just dig in, or peel the mango off using your fingers or a knife to eat in a more civilized manner.
Photo by Alex Weiner
Now what?
Try mixing mango with some yogurt or put pieces on top of vanilla froyo. Throw some mango into your smoothie or thai salad, or just enjoy it plain.