Peeling and Dicing a Mango

If you've not peeled and cut a mango before, your virgin attempt might become a little intimidating. The skin is very thick, the flesh very slippery, and the pit will pose a mysterious challenge. That's becuase the pit is a flattened oval shape. If you don't slice the fattest, meatiest side of the mango then it seems like you're not getting any flesh off the fruit at all. But after cutting just a few mangoes, you'll get the hang of it. Here are my tips:

1. Use a very sharp peeler for the skin, such as the Kyocera ceramic peeler I recommend on my website http://www.recipereview.biz/
2. Peel from pole to pole, not side to side. By pole, I mean the end with a stem button.
3. Using a chef's knife or paring knife, cut a slice, also pole to pole.
4. If you meet resistance on the first slice, then stop cutting. Turn the mango 90 degrees and cut that edge. It should provde a nice, thick slice.
5. Turn the mango 180 degrees (that is, opposite side). Cut another thick slice.
6. Lay one cut side down on your cutting board, then slice off the two remaining sides. You won't get much flesh.
7. Cut off any additional flesh you can get to around the pit.
8. From the four main slices, cut thin lengthwise slices. Then chop across these to make a small dice (cube shape).