Chaunsa mango
Pakistan's sweetest and most aromatic mango, from June to August. What a Chaunsa is, how to tell one, when it is picked and how it differs from Sindhri.
The short answer
Chaunsa is the sweetest of the common Pakistani mangoes and the most strongly scented. It is round and plump rather than long, often carries a light blush, and goes properly soft and juicy when ripe. It runs from June through to August, which makes it the variety that closes the Pakistani season after the Sindh varieties have finished.
If you want the sweetest mango of the summer, this is it. If you want one that slices cleanly onto a plate, buy Sindhri instead.
What a Chaunsa actually is
Chaunsa چونسہ is grown in both Punjab and Sindh, and it is the Pakistani variety most people abroad have actually eaten. Where Sindhri is the fruit Sindh is known for, Chaunsa is the one the whole country argues about.
It is fibreless, which it shares with Sindhri, but the texture is entirely different. A ripe Chaunsa gives softly and feels juicy under the skin. Cut one open expecting to serve neat cheeks and you will end up with a bowl. That is not a fault; it is what the fruit is for.
The smell is the giveaway. A ripe Chaunsa is heavy and sweet across a room. A Sindhri is finer and floral and you have to be close to it.
When Chaunsa is picked
On our orchard Chaunsa runs from June into August. It starts as Sindhri is finishing and carries the rest of the summer.
| Month | What is happening with Chaunsa |
|---|---|
| May | Nothing yet. The Sindh varieties are opening the season. |
| June | Chaunsa starts as Sindhri runs out. |
| July | Full flow. The month most associated with Chaunsa. |
| August | Continuing and closing out the season. |
| September | Over. There is no cold-stored version worth buying. |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
The dates move by a week or two each year. A mango harvest is observed rather than scheduled, and the February flowering sets the whole thing in motion five months ahead.
More on how the whole season fits together: when is Sindhri mango season.
How to tell a Chaunsa from the others
Shape. Round and plump. A long, tapering fruit is a Sindhri.
Blush. Chaunsa often carries a light red or pink blush. An even gold with no blush at all points to Sindhri.
Smell. Strong, heady, obvious from a distance.
Give. It goes genuinely soft. Sindhri stays firmer even at its best, and Sohnaro firmer still.
The one test to ignore is colour as a ripeness check. It is unreliable on several varieties and useless on Langro, which stays green when fully ripe.
What to do with it
Chaunsa is the mango to eat over a sink, and that is not a joke about mess. Its softness and sweetness are wasted on presentation.
It is also the right choice for anything blended. The sweetness carries through milk, which is why it is the variety people reach for when making a shake. Sindhri is firmer and better kept for slicing.
However you eat it, open the box as soon as it arrives, take every fruit out and lay them in a single layer somewhere cool and dark. They will not ripen at the same rate. Move each one to the fridge as it comes good, and never refrigerate one that is still hard, because cold stops the ripening and it does not restart.
Fuller detail: how to ripen a Pakistani mango.
Buying Chaunsa from us
We grow Chaunsa, but we do not currently list a Chaunsa box on the shop. Our listed boxes are Sindhri at Rs. 3,599 and Langro or Sohnaro at Rs. 2,000, all 5 KG.
If you want Chaunsa specifically, ask us. It is a straightforward thing to arrange in its window and we would rather tell you what is honestly available for the year than list something we cannot guarantee.
Questions we get asked
Is Chaunsa better than Sindhri?
They are different rather than ranked. Chaunsa is sweeter, softer and more aromatic. Sindhri is larger, firmer, easier to slice and has a finer floral smell with some acidity underneath. Most people who grew up in Pakistan have a firm preference and it is usually about texture rather than sweetness.
Which is sweeter, Chaunsa or Sindhri?
Chaunsa, and not by a small margin.
When is Chaunsa season in Pakistan?
June through August, starting as Sindhri finishes. It is the variety that closes the season.
Is Chaunsa fibreless?
Yes. So are Sindhri, Langro, Anwar Ratol and Dussehri. Being fibreless is not the same as being firm, which is the quality people are usually asking about when they want a mango they can slice.
What is the difference between white Chaunsa and black Chaunsa?
These are names used in the trade for different strains and we are not going to describe them from second-hand knowledge. Ask whoever is selling them what they mean by it, because the terms are used loosely.
Can I get Chaunsa outside the season?
Not as fresh fruit worth eating. There is no cold-stored Chaunsa in winter and anyone offering one is selling you something else.
Do you sell a Chaunsa box?
We grow it but do not currently list a Chaunsa box. Ask us and we will tell you what we can do for the coming season.