Is Alphonso really the king of mangoes?

No mango can claim more passionate devotees than the Alphonso. Considered the most superior variety of the fruit in terms of sweetness, richness and flavour, it is India’s most exported variety, with 60 per cent bound for the Middle East.

The Alphonso is believed to have been named after Afonso de Albuquerque, a nobleman and military expert who helped establish Portuguese colonies in India. Grown most famously in the Ratnagiri region of Maharashtra, along the Konkan belt, it is also found along the western parts of Gujarat and Karnataka, and is usually available from the end of March until the end of May, or when the monsoons arrive. The fruit is famous for its thin skin, sweet aroma and rich saffron-coloured flesh. The Alphonso is also praised for its versatility in recipes as it can be used in both savoury dishes and desserts.

French chef François Leo, executive pastry chef at the Rosewood Hotel in Abu Dhabi, uses the mangoes in two of his signature desserts: the So Fresh Cheesecake and the Passionata Donatella.

“I love mangoes and one of my favourites is the Indian Alphonso mango,” says Leo. “I choose it because, when the product comes, I am always satisfied with the quality compared with others, which can turn out to be sour and not ripe at all.”

Sous chef Paul Richard at Dubai’s Markette agrees that the Alphonso rules.

“Alphonso is my favourite, too, like most chefs, because it has all the quality that a chef needs for his dish, such as taste, colour and texture, plus it yields more flesh.”

Vishal Rane, head chef at La Porte des Indes in Dubai, says he spent his childhood picking and eating Alphonso mangoes. “Alphonso mangoes have a lot going in their favour,” he says. “You won’t find a variety that comes anywhere close to it. When in season, I ensure that I make the most out of it.”

But are Alphonsos really the best variety of the fruit? For Australian Andrew Morrow, corporate executive chef at Leopold’s of London, it is all about preference.

“I prefer Thai mangoes,” he says.

“They have smaller seeds and much more flesh-to-seed ­ratio plus they are sweeter and of high[er] quality.”