Manggang Hilaw at Bagoong

“Saluhan nyo po ako dito sa Manggang Hilaw at Bagoong” (Come and eat green mangoes and shrimp paste with me).

Southeast Asian cuisine is known for sour dishes. This is one of the reasons why green mangoes (especially the real sour ones) are a hit in the Philippines and other nearby countries. Shrimp paste, on the other hand, can be considered as a common condiment that can be paired with fruits, vegetables, meat, and seafood.

Cooking and tasting different kinds of food on a daily basis sometimes overwhelms my taste buds. No matter how good the food tasted, there is a certain point wherein my taste buds needs a rest. The Filipino terms “suya” and “umay” describes this condition; this is translated as Palate Fatigue.

Whenever my taste buds get tired, I try to eat sour and salty foods to keep my palate functioning again; green mangoes and shrimp paste always work for me.

If you are a Filipino, I’m sure that you will not disagree if I say that green mangoes and shrimp paste is a good combination (unless you are allergic to shrimps). In fact, it is a perfect marriage.

Have you seen little kids eat Manggang Hilaw with Bagoong? Remember the look in their faces while they were chewing? I enjoy looking at their faces but I can’t seem to pull the right adjectives to describe their facial reactions. But why think about the description? If you are in that situation, you’ll surely grab a camera right away to capture the moment. They’ll appreciate the picture when they grow up (and maybe post it in their future version of Facebook).

Green mangoes come in different varieties. There is the Carabao Mango (Manggang Kalabaw), Indian Mango, and the Piko. Sorry, these are the only ones that I know. Can you help me enumerate other varieties that were not mentioned?

I like Manggang Piko with spicy bagoong. This is the only variety that I buy from street vendors. What is your favorite variety?

Does this post made you crave for green mangoes? I know people who salivate just by thinking about “Mangga at Bagoong”. Try to check your keyboard (or touch screens) and wipe any liquid that you see :).

Happy eating everyone!