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The Egyptian Mango: A “Halal” Delight Like No Other

Samer El-Karanshawy
Egyptian Writer and Academic
Egypt
Published on 11.07.2024
Reading time: 6 minutes

It is undisputed that Egypt did not know the mango fruit before the 19th century. One account credits Ibrahim Pasha, son of Muhammad Ali, with bringing it from its native land. Another claims that Arabi Pasha introduced it to Egypt after discovering it during his exile in Sri Lanka and brought it back when he returned in 1903.

Electricity cuts in the blistering heat, relentless inflation, and a gruesome tragedy just hours from Cairo that no one seems able to stop—these are the heavy burdens of Egyptians today. Yet, at its usual time, a legal and halal delight appears capable of making one forget all this, if only for a few delightful minutes. For a clue to its significance, beyond its common description as the “Queen of Fruits,” look no further.

In the 1990s, an English magazine called Cairo Times ran for several years, featuring a regular section on cultural events and recreational spots in Cairo. The magazine fondly dubbed the city “The Big Mango,” drawing inspiration from the common nickname for New York City, “The Big Apple.” Undoubtedly, mangoes are far more delicious than apples!

There is always that one rare or first-time experience that leaves an impression. In England, 25 years ago, a mango brought to me by family visiting from Egypt filled my room with its aroma before I invited my classmates to try it. The first to taste it was an Irish friend, who had never eaten a mango before, let alone a premium Timour variety.

Each bite he took was accompanied by exclamations of delight— “This is one hell of a fruit,” and later, “This is an amazing fruit”—before he attempted to eat the peel.

Next were two friends, one from the Philippines and the other from America. The Filipina, being from a mango-rich archipelago, praised the exceptional quality of what she ate. But for our American friend from Boston, like the Irishman, it was a new experience. I later learned that mangoes do grow in the southern United States, but perhaps not with this quality.

Heather, who was usually loud, expressed her enjoyment so vocally that we had to close the door and ask her to lower her volume. She, too, tried to eat the peel, and we had to keep her away from a spoiled mango, as she declared that the cost of a bit of stomachache or even food poisoning was worth the pleasure of a mango!

Years after this “mango incident” in Oxford, I found myself in Beirut. While browsing a local bookstore, the familiar scent of mangoes filled the air. A man emerged from an office, calling out, “Egyptian mangoes” (I remember clearly he pronounced the “g” in “mango” like we Egyptians do). The staff hurried to him, disappearing for a while before reemerging with evidence of their crime: their clothes stained with juice and their hands and arms dripping with the sweet nectar.

How Did Mangoes Reach Egypt?

The mango originated from tropical Asia, specifically northeastern India, with a history dating back about 5,000 years. However, its arrival in Egypt is subject to different stories. It is undisputed that Egypt did not know this fruit before the 19th century. One account credits Ibrahim Pasha, son of Muhammad Ali, with bringing it from its native land. Another claims that Arabi Pasha introduced it to Egypt after discovering it during his exile in Sri Lanka and brought it back when he returned in 1903.

Perhaps both stories are true (if we set aside political implications), as the mango tree has many varieties and might have arrived in stages. Today, Egypt boasts dozens of types of mangoes, and over time, Egyptians have hybridized their own varieties of this exotic plant. Even the imported ones like Alphonso (known in Egypt as Alfons) are superior here, thanks to Egyptian soil. Among the local hybrids is the Owais, an oval, fragrant yellow mango with a taste reminiscent of coconut and abundant sweetness. The Fes Owais, a smaller, highly concentrated version, is the most expensive mango variety in Egypt.

The Different Levels of Mangoes

My favorites are the Timour and Alfons varieties. Timour has a balanced taste, neither too sweet nor too bland, like a perfectly sweetened dessert. Alfons, with its delightful aroma, is a treat before you even taste it. The Timour was hybridized in the farms of the Timour family, renowned for their contributions to Egyptian and Arab culture.

While premium varieties are for eating, there are also types meant for juicing, notably the Zebda. This large mango (averaging half a kilogram) is perfect for juicing due to its fibrous texture and abundant juice. Premium mangoes melt in the mouth, while juice varieties leave fibers between your teeth.

The Zebda tree is crucial for every mango farmer in Egypt. This variety yields abundant fruit, ensuring a good return for the farmer. Premium varieties, however, often have limited yields. The last two decades have seen the introduction of many new mango varieties, smaller in size, allowing for denser planting. Names like Naomi, Keitt, Kent, Tommy, and Heidi hint at their foreign origins. They generally appear later in the season and, while good, can’t compare to the traditional premium varieties available from late June to September.

Mango trees are slow-growing, taking years to reach full production, making the fruit relatively expensive in Egypt despite extensive cultivation. Additionally, the mango tree has “biennial bearing,” yielding abundantly one year and sparingly the next. Recent climate changes have also affected production negatively. For instance, four years ago, Egypt lost most of its mango crop due to unusual seasonal fluctuations (a very warm winter followed by an early heatwave, then a return to cold weather).

All these factors, combined with the soaring costs of agricultural supplies like fertilizers and pesticides, mean that to be profitable, mangoes must be sold at high prices. Otherwise, farmers might abandon the crop, but if prices rise too much, many Egyptians who eagerly await mango season every summer won’t afford them.

The Mango Metaphor

Mangoes are not just beloved by eaters; they are also a subject of humor and satire. The juicy fruit, once bitten into, releases its nectar, making it a messy delight, leading to many jokes and memes about the chaos of a “mango feast.”

There’s plenty of charming content on YouTube, such as a baby battling a mango, leaving traces of the struggle all over himself, his chair, and everything around. Even adults are usually not much tidier when eating mangoes.

It’s amusing to note that a former Miss Egypt, for unclear reasons, decided her role was to teach Egyptians “etiquette.” After discussing the “correct” way to eat Egyptian molokhia (which, as everyone knows, was the favorite food of French kings), she moved on to mangoes.

According to her, mangoes should be cut and strained to be eaten with a fork, without the accompanying juice mess. But my dear lady, where’s the joy in that? Why else were napkins or easy-to-wash clothes invented? And how much of this wonderful fruit will be wasted by your method? Please, dear etiquette enthusiasts, let us dive into the mango bliss!

Mangoes are rich in Vitamin C and contain a decent amount of Vitamin B6. However, this sweet fruit also has a high sugar content, about 14 percent of its weight on average. When I visited a friend who specializes in nutrition in a futile attempt to lose weight, he advised me to stop eating mangoes. His scientific advice was logical, of course, so that was the end of our friendship.

If the price of a few extra pounds (and perhaps other issues) is three months of mango delight each year, so be it! What harm is there in this delicious, halal indulgence? Dear doctor, we all need to dive into the mango joy; few other things today give us even the illusion of happiness.