Green mango with bagoong

The Philippines' most iconic flavour pairing: sour, crunchy green mango eaten with pungent, salty fermented shrimp paste sautéed with pork and aromatics

Origin: Philippines

From the journey of Mango.

The pairing of sour green mango with bagoong (fermented shrimp paste) is one of the Philippines' most beloved and irreplaceable food experiences. Bagoong alamang, made from tiny fermented krill, is pungent, salty, and intensely umami. Against the sharp sourness of the green mango, it creates a flavour combination that is greater than its constituent parts: simultaneously tart, funky, sweet (from sautéed bagoong), and crunchy. It is eaten as a snack, as an accompaniment to kare-kare (oxtail peanut stew), and at parties. The Philippine mango, Carabao variety from Guimaras, is considered the world's sweetest mango when ripe, but eaten green it is as crisp and sour as a Granny Smith apple.

Ingredients

Mango

2 large green, unripe mangoes, peeled

Bagoong

200 g bagoong alamang (fermented shrimp paste, pink/raw variety)
100 g pork belly or pork mince
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, finely diced
2 tbsp sugar (brown or palm sugar)
1 small red chilli, finely sliced
1 tbsp coconut vinegar or cane vinegar

For cooking

1 tbsp neutral oil

Method

Prepare the sautéed bagoong: heat the oil in a wok or frying pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion, fry for 3 minutes until soft. Add the pork and cook, breaking it up, until browned; about 5 minutes.
Add the bagoong alamang to the pork. Stir well. Add the sugar, chilli, and coconut vinegar. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, for 4–5 minutes until the mixture is fragrant and the colour deepens from pink to a deeper coral-orange.
Taste: it should be intensely savoury, slightly sweet, and have a background heat. Adjust sugar or vinegar as needed. Allow to cool slightly.
Prepare the mangoes: cut the flesh away from the stone in thick slices or batons. Score the surface lightly if desired. The green mango should be very firm, sour, and crunchy.
To serve: arrange the green mango slices on a plate. Place the sautéed bagoong alongside in a small bowl or spooned directly over. The diner dips each piece of mango into the bagoong.

Notes

Bagoong alamang is available at Filipino and Asian grocery stores. There are two types: raw (pink, uncooked) which is what you want for this recipe to sauté yourself; and cooked (already sautéed with pork). If you can only find the cooked variety, skip steps 1–3 and use it as-is. The Carabao mango of Guimaras island in the Philippines was recognised by the Guinness World Records as the world's sweetest variety, making it all the more extraordinary that Filipinos also prize it intensely sour and unripe.

The Gastrographer

Name: Green mango with bagoong
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Philippines
Ingredients: 2 large green, unripe mangoes, peeled; 200 g bagoong alamang (fermented shrimp paste, pink/raw variety); 100 g pork belly or pork mince; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1 small onion, finely diced; 2 tbsp sugar (brown or palm sugar); 1 small red chilli, finely sliced; 1 tbsp coconut vinegar or cane vinegar; 1 tbsp neutral oil

Mapping Culinary History

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Journey Point Map Key

Ingredient originTrade or transit route

Became a culinary stapleColonial / trade control