Mango · มะม่วง
If you want something sweet in Thailand, try a ripe mango. Varieties such as nam dok mai, with soft, fragrant yellow flesh, are well known. If you have had mango sticky rice, try the fruit on its own too and taste the mango itself. Some kinds of unripe mango are eaten crunchy and sour.
Main season March–May
Listed as available all year
Nam dok mai si thong from Phitsanulok: harvest period listed as March–June
Use the main season, or the harvest period for regional fruit, as a guide. Actual availability can vary with the growing area, the variety and the weather.
Ripe mango is soft and sweet. Some varieties of green mango are eaten for a texture different from ripe mango, so you do not need to assume that every green one is unripe.
Thailand has many mango varieties, such as nam dok mai and maha chanok, and a food culture that enjoys ripe and green fruit in different ways. It is also familiar as a dessert served on sticky rice, which makes it a good fruit to try on a Thai trip.
The guide gives its timing as: Main season March–May. It is available all year, but volumes and prices can change with the season and the variety. The calendar does not guarantee that it is on sale on any particular date.
If you want sweet, soft mango, say you are looking for ripe mango. Crunchy mango may be sold separately. The price unit differs between buying whole fruit by the kilo and buying a tub of sliced fruit.
If you would like to read more about the food and the regions behind it, these sources are worth a look. Ingredients and cooking methods can vary from one cook to the next.
Sharing image credit: Ivar Leidus · CC BY-SA 4.0
