What is the best way to cut up a mango?

Whenever I try to cut up a mango I make a mess. What is the trick?

Just eat it over the sink, and then have dental floss and lots of water to wash your upper body :)

http://southernfood.about.com/od/mangorecipes/a/mango_recipes_2.htm

Cut fresh mangoes lengthwise, along the pit. Once you learn to locate the mango pit, the rest is easy. The long, 1/2- to 3/4-inch-thick pit runs the length of the fruit between the two plump cheeks.

# Cup the mango in your palm, then peel the skin from the flesh with a small, sharp knife.
# After determining the location of the pit and allowing for its 1/2- to 3/4-inch thickness, cut through the mango lengthwise down the side of pit until its fleshy cheek is cut off. Do the same for the other side.
# Cut the remaining fruit from the pit in thin slices; use in recipes that call for diced fruit, in sauces, or serve raw as an appetizer.

How to cube a fresh mango
# Without peeling, cut the fruit from the cheeks, as described above, score flesh into squares about 1/2- to 3/4-inch in size, cutting to, but not through, skin.
# Gently push the mango cheek inside out, pushing fruit cubes up and apart.
# Cut chunks from the skin to serve.
(The skin can cause irritation, so it should not be eaten.)

I peel them first. I use a potato peeler (cuz I hate to waste one tiny bit of that wonderful fruit!).

Now, once you hack up one mango, all this will make sense. The mango is usually the actual shape of the pit - sorta egg shaped, but flattened. Slice down one side along the side of the pit. This should give you about 1/3 of the mango. Do the same to the other side. That's it for big pieces. Then just sorta shave the remaining flesh off the pit.

Then scrape the rest off the pit with your teeth and enjoy! Consider it as payment for your hard work! :)

Put it on the counter, it will roll naturally to show you the flatness of the pit. Stand it up and cut down along the pit on each side. I don't peel them but just scoop out the goods after I cut.

The trick to cutting along the pit, btw, is to use a very good knife. Like the ones for cutting tomatoes so thin you can see through the slices. That will get a very good and effortless cut right along the pit.

I love mango and use it for a salsa to eat with salmon.