Sour mangoes are a native fruit of the southern region and part of the identity of Songkhla Province. Grown in large quantities in Singhanakhon District, a distinctive taste is produced by the local soil of the peninsula. The original sour mango is characterized and distinguished by its thin skin, clear sap, sour taste, unique aroma, and firm, white, crispy flesh.
Sister Net – Mrs. Phiranet Bunnasit President of the Hua Khao Subdistrict Women’s Community Enterprise Group, says that, in the Singhanakhon area, two main types of young mangoes are commonly grown: the round type, with thin, light skin, yellow flesh when ripe, sour taste, and strong aroma; and the larger type with less rounded, teardrop-shaped fruit, darker skin, and orange flesh when ripe and rough skin. People in the area use young mangoes for cooking in the usual manner, including pairing young mangoes with boiled shrimp, sour curry incorporating young mangoes instead of lime, rice salad, and purple lotus soup.
The Hua Khao Community Women’s Enterprise Group is a collective of 15 women that have been growing green mangoes since 2019. They have worked together to create various products, beginning with pickled green mangoes, to spread the true flavor of Singhanakhon green mangoes under the Singo brand.
The production process for pickled green mangoes used by the group must ensure GI quality, entailing splitting the fruit in half with the skin still on. The outer layer of skin is then carefully peeled off, leaving the green skin underneath intact. Normally, skin quickly blackens if not completely peeled and soaked in lime water. However, this method negates the need for soaking in lime water and citric acid. The mangoes are soaked in salt water overnight and, the morning after, the water is drained and the mangoes pickled in 30% syrup. When an order is placed, the syrup is boiled and sugar added before being packaged. The total production time is 4-5 days.
Other products include green mango juice, which is a best seller. A small amount of sugar is added together with ripe green mango pulp. The juice comes in two types: very sour, or mild. Green mango jam is a less-sweet recipe made using almost ripe mango pulp, which lends a vivid color. Additionally, green mango craft soda is currently being developed into a canned product.
One of the highlights of the Singo brand is that young mangoes are used not only as food. Mango peels and leaves are dried and processed to make dyes for fabric and developed into clothing and bags. A learning center has also been opened, connecting with the dimension of cultural tourism.
Joining with the Creative Cities Network – Gastronomy reflects the sourcing of raw materials, honoring of identity, and creation of food menus, particularly a revival of the traditional consumption of ripe green mangoes, which has declined in the present day, via fusion menus such as sea bass steak with ripe green mango sauce, Americano with a shot of carbonated green mango, and coconut ice cream topped with ripe green mango.