How do you tell when a mango is ripe?

valk_scot

Ambersuccubus wrote: »

Ooh, careful of the fresh pinapple - my little girl once devoured a half pineapple I'd chopped for the whole family to share, whilst I left the room, and ended up with acid burns on her chin!

It's not the acid in the pineapple that's the problem, it's an enzyme in the pineapple that can be used (amongst other things) as a tenderising agent for meat. So if you get a lot on your skin and don't wash it off it will literally start dissolving your skin. Tinned and processed pineapple juice loose this enzyme though due to the processing method. It's always a good idea to wash your hands after preparing fresh pineapple and also to have a drink of water after eating it, to rinse your mouth out.

tandraig

was about to say this but valk-scot beat me to it!!
pineapple contains a tenderising enzyme, so after eating or preparing fresh pineapple you should wash!
but, if you can use the juice its wonderful for tenderising meat. rump steak will be as tender as fillet if you marinade it in pinapple juice, and keep all its flavour!

NJW69

Replying to a couple of points; the enzyme in fresh pineapple is good for mouth ulcers, gets rid of them almost immeadiately.

I've had some mangoes recently that are only just ripening but when I've cut into them they are black and nasty. I wonder if they have been exposed to the frost.

In Jamaica you can get mangoes that have a black skin and they are really sweet. They are quite small and not that attractive looking but much nicer than any I've had here.