How to make the most of your mangoes

Mangoes from India tend to be smaller and sweeter than those from Mexico and South America, which are the most common in U.S. grocers. This means the less you do to them, the easier it is to appreciate their natural tangy sweetness.

•Many Indians do little more than remove the skin and sprinkle the flesh with a bit of salt or cayenne, or with an Indian spice mix known as "fruit chaat" or "chunky chaat."

Often a mixture of salt, cumin, coriander, cloves, asafoetida (an herb found in India and Iran) and other seasonings, chaat is salty and pungent with a vaguely metallic taste that accents the fruit's sweetness. These mixes are available at Indian markets.

• Another favorite, especially in Maharashtra, the heart of India's mango country, is a dish called amras. Essentially, it is mango pulp that is scooped up with hot fried bread called puri (use pita bread in a pinch), which can be found (usually frozen) at Indian markets.

• The easiest way to peel a mango is to use a sharp vegetable peeler to remove the skin, then use a knife to cut the flesh away from the large, oblong pit. Once peeled, stand the mango on the wide end and cut the sides away, then trim the top and bottom.

• Even easier, kitchen gadget maker Oxo has a mango splitter, which looks like apple cutter/corer. It works best if you peel the mango first, then use the gadget to cut the flesh away from the pit.

• If you buy more mangoes than you can eat, or simply want to enjoy them all year long, peel and pit them, then place the flesh in zip-close freezer bags. The bags will keep in the freezer for up to three months.