Seasonal Fruit: Mango

Mangoes are a sign of warmer months here in Australia and anybody who has walked through a produce market during summer would be familiar with the smell of sweet mango nectar that lingers around the stalls.

This juicy fruit is easy to prepare, full of nutritional value and can be used in both sweet and savoury recipes, so it comes as no surprise that a whopping 150 million mangoes are expected to be consumed by Australians over the coming months . Despite the popularity of mangoes, the industry was not immune to the labour shortages that rippled across the agriculture industry over the last few years. The industries reliance on seasonal workers was made soberingly apparent when travel restrictions were implemented to reduce the spread of Covid-19. This labour shortage is expected to result in a decline in industry revenue over the 2021 season however, the popularity of mangoes amongst Australians is set to offset this revenue loss, with downstream demand expected to grow over the next 5 years due to an increasingly health-conscious consumer market. Industry snapshot of Mango Growing in Australia (from IBIS world) ¡ Market Size: $131m

¡ Number of Businesses: 316

¡ Industry Employment: 1,310

Ingredients

¡ 2 tsp garam masala ¡ 1 tsp each of ground cumin and ground turmeric ¡ ½ tsp each ground coriander and paprika

¡ 1/3 cup tomato paste ¡ 2 tbsp desiccated coconut ¡ 2 ½ tbsp vegetable oil ¡ 2 small mangoes, diced ¡ 500g chicken breast, diced ¡ 1 brown onion, thinly sliced ¡ 1 red capsicum, chopped ¡ 2 garlic cloves, minced ¡ 2cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped ¡ 275ml coconut milk

¡ ½ cup chicken stock ¡ Cooked rice, to serve

¡ Fresh coriander and red chilli, to serve

Mango Chicken Curry

Method

1. Heat a large frypan over a medium heat. Add the desiccated coconut and dried spices to the pan, and cook, stirring, for 1-2 mins until fragrant. 2. Once done, transfer mixture to a food processor and blitz until the coconut is finely chopped. Add the tomato paste and 1 tbsp vegetable oil, then process until a paste forms. 3. Transfer the curry paste to a bowl. Next, add half the diced mango to the food processor and blitz until smooth, then set aside. 4. Heat half the remaining oil in the pan over a medium-high heat.

Add the chicken and cook for 5 mins or until sealed and browned.

Transfer cooked chicken to a plate once done. 5. Reduce the heat to medium-low, then add the remaining oil to the pan.

Next, add in the onion and cook for 3-4 mins or until the onions have softened. Add the capsicum, ginger and garlic, cooking for 2 mins. 6. Add in the curry paste and cook, stirring, for 2 mins until fragrant.

Stir in the coconut milk, chicken stock and pureed mango. Then, return the chicken to the pan and increase the heat to medium-high.

Bring contents to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Partially covered, simmer for 8-10 mins or until the chicken is cooked through, and the sauce has thickened. 7. To serve, place cooked rice in serving bowls, then divide the curry between the bowls. Top with freshly sliced chilli, coriander and remaining diced mango. Enjoy!

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