Some people have no clue how to cut and peel a mango.

Step 1: Cut Sides Away From Pit

Depending on the type of mango youve got, the shape and thickness of the pit will vary. The Manila mango Im using here has a nice flat seed, while the Hayden/Kent/Atkins mangos have thicker rounder seeds. 

Using a sharp paring knife, start just off the centerline and cut parallel to the seed along the long axis of the fruit. If you contact the seed, just curve away a bit to follow the contours of the pit. Youll leave more flesh on the pit, but its not going anywher. once you get a feel for the seed sizes in your mangos of choice, this process will get even tidier. You should see the white pit showing in the center piece when youre finished. 

Cut both sides off of the pit in this fashion, and set them aside. 

Step 2: Remove Skin From Center Piece

Notch and remove the stem area, as its usually tough and/or bitter. Continue by pulling the skin off the circumference of the pit; if the mango is perfectly ripe it should come off easily. If your mango is a bit underripe you may need to actually do a bit of trimming with your knife. Hold the exposed center of the seed to maintain a good grip, as mangos can be slippery. 

Now that youve skinned the center, go ahead and eat it. This is the best part of the mango, and its your treat for cutting up the mango for your lazy friends or family. Use your teeth to scrape all of the mangoey goodness off of the pit, then remember to floss. Mango pits are fantastic, but also the best impetus to floss this side of corn on the cob. 

Step 3: Score the Sides

Now that youve disposed of the pit, its time to score the side pieces of your mango. 

Make a series of parallel cuts, taking care not to cut through the skin. Poking through the skin results in an untidy mango, dripping mango juice, and sometimes blood. Cut the lines as close as you like, so long as you make at least two of them. 

Now, spin the mango 90 degrees and repeat the process.

Step 4: Invert

Now that youve scored your mango, flip it inside out. Just push up on the skin side to create a spiky little mango hedgehog. 

Note that if youve made less than two cuts in either direction, the mango wont have enough flexibility to invert neatly. The more cuts, the easier it will flip and the better it will look. Here Ive gone for a middle-of-the-road approach; sometimes I like to have lots of tiny mango spikes.

Step 5: Serve

Place all of your inverted mango slices on a fancy platter and serve. Decorate as you see fit.