MANGO GINGER

Also Known As
ENGLISH:
White Mango
White Mango Ginger
White Turmeric [although this usually applies to Curcuma zedoaria, Zedoary]
MALAY:
Temu Mangga
Temu Pauh
THAILAND
Kha Min Khao 


Order:   Zingiberales
Family:   Zingiberaceae
Genus:    Curcuma
Species: mangga

Florida n c s

Edible Parts
Flower Leaf Shoots Root
Other Uses
Medicinal Ferment Fragrant
The flavor of this wild Indian Turmeric relative is out-of-this-world. It reminds one of young mangos mixed with mild ginger, in both scent and flavor. I remember a day of good fortune in 2016 when my friend Craig offered me some thinly sliced, fresh-pickled Mango Ginger rhizomes for the first time.  He had lovingly- and organically-grown these year-old tender rhizomes and pickled them for a short while... oh my goodness... I was a fan instantly. The young rhizomes are considered a delicacy in its native India, where they are pickled or added to salads as a spicy addition. They are excellent when added to curries or eaten raw, sparingly. The young inflorescences may also be steamed and eaten. I am propagating this species at Bamboo Grove, my homestead in Arcadia, and my wish is that many more gardeners across Florida, grow this easy-to-grow, delightful culinary herb that grows in all regions of Florida. Wait until 2018 to write me requesting plants as I have over 300 people on a waiting list already.

EDIBLE YOUNG RHIZOMES: The rhizomes are highly desirable for culinary use and have the taste and scent of green mangos. To me, the flavor of Mango Ginger is outstanding. It is my favorite-tasting of all the ginger relatives.  In second place, I would rank “Bubba Baba Blue” true Ginger, in third place “KhingYai” Ginger, and fourth for me would be true Galangal. I grow all four of these here in Arcadia. In Thailand, the "young rhizomes is available 4-5 months after planting." [4]
- WITH CHILI: Slices of the young rhizomes are cooked with coconut milk and chili paste. 
- PICKLES: “Young hands are used make lovely pickles in India." [1]
- SALADS: “Young hands are used in Thailand to make spicy salads.” [1]
- CURRIES: They are excellent added to curries. —
- CHUTNEY: They are commonly made into chutney in India.
- RAW: “They are eaten raw with many kinds of hot and spicy dipping” sauces. [4] 
- FERMENTS: The first-year rhizomes should be added to local ferments, including kombucha. And if you experiment, please let me know how yours turn out.
- PRESERVES
- CANDY
- SAUCES
- IN VARIOUS DISHES

EDIBLE YOUNG SHOOTS AND RHIZOME TIPS: Young shoots, tender young white rhizome tips and young rhizomes are eaten raw or boiled.
EDIBLE FLOWERS: Young inflorescences are steamed & eaten with rice or used in stews. In Thailand, the "young inflorescence is available during the beginning of rainy season." [4]
MEDICINAL RHIZOMES: The rhizomes are used medicinally for thousands of years.  It is a stomachic and febrifuge.
“It is used for curing fevers and for abdominal problems in the Malay Peninsula and Indonesia. [Perry, 1980]." [7] 

Recipes

Citrusy Mango Ginger Salsa 

Here's a recipe from for from The Mom 100 [blog] 
I suggest replacing the "ginger" with "mango ginger."
Makes 2 cups 
INGREDIENTS
2 cups chopped mango 
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice 
1 teaspoon fresh lemon or lime juice 
½ grated fresh orange zest 
3 tablespoons finely minced red onion 
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger [better yet, ADD Mango Ginger] 
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil 
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste 
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste 
DIRECTIONS
In a medium bowl add the mango, orange juice, lemon or lime juice, orange zest, red onion, ginger, olive oil, basil, salt and pepper, and red pepper flakes and stir gently until well combined. 
---------- 

AND, TO MAKE A SIMPLE MANGO GINGER CHUTNEY 

also from Tarda Dalai
Prepare simple chutney with mango-ginger, turmeric, coconut gratings, ginger, green chillies, lemon juice and little sugar and salt. 
Grind all the ingredients to fine paste without using water and serve it as accompaniment with any meal.
 Temper chopped mango ginger in oil with mustard seeds, curry leaves and ginger. Serve this with curd rice. 

HOW TO STORE MANGO GINGER 

also from Tarda Dalai
Mango- Ginger should be kept in air-tight jars away from moisture. It can be refrigerated for upto 4-5 days. 
They suggest using Mango Ginger [they do not list the species as either mangaa or amada though]to make: 

TRY RECIPES USING MANGO GINGER IN 

also from Tarda Dalai
Mango Ginger Mousse 
Mango Ginger Mousse ( Mousses Recipe) 
Mango Ginger Sorbet 
Mango Flavored Ginger Pickle 

NATIVE TO: India, Java, and possibly Thailand.
DESCRIPTION: An herbaceous perennial that goes dormant during the winter. To 130 cm. tall. [4]
- LEAVES: "—Leaves narrowly ovate or elliptic with a purple costa or entirely green." [4]
- INFLORESCENCE: "Inflorescence spike-like, cylindric, produced outside the leaves. Mostly light green, lower bracts white, median green, terminal bracts violet red." [4]
- FLOWERS: Light yellow to yellow-green.
- RHIZOME: Flesh is pale yellow to cream colored. It has the "smell of young mango fruit." [4]
TAXONOMY IN QUESTION: “The taxonomy of the species is a subject of some confusion as some authorities have considered the name C. mangga as identical while others describe it as a distinct species with C. mangga being found in southern India while C. amada is of east Indian origin.“ The authorative website theplantlist.org lists this species as “accepted,” so I consider it a distinct species for this reason.
MISPELLING: It is often incorrectly spelled “mangaa.”
PROPAGATION: "Small pieces of rhizome with 3-4 buds, c. 50 gm, are planted at 20 by 50-70 cm spacing at the beginning of rainy season." [4] 

More Details

Bearing Age
1 years

Habitat
Shady Gardens
Native?
Non-Native


Plant Form
Herbaceous Deciduous Perennial Herb
Ease of growth
Easy
Light
Shade Part Sun
Soil
Rich Well-Drained
Spacing
2 feet


When to Propagate
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D


Sources for acquiring

Bamboo Grove 
Hawaiian Organic Ginger 
Lustre Aquatics 


References

[1] Hawaiian Organic Ginger 
[2] theplantlist.org 
[3] Polynesian Produce Stand 
[4] Local Vegetables of Thailand 
[5] The Mom 100 [blog] - salsa recipe 
[6] Tarda Dalai [a culinary website out of Mumbai, India] 
[7] Genetic Resources, Chromosome Engineering, and Crop Improvemnet: Medicinal Plants, edited by Ram Singh 
[8] Multilimgual Multiscript Plant Name Database [Sorting Curcuma Names] 
Last Updated: October 28, 2017

Related Plants in Database

Same Genus:
Curcuma hybrid
Curcuma zanthorrhiza