Mangonada

By Daniela Galarza

Updated May 22, 2024

Mangonada
David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
15 minutes, plus chilling
Rating
4(1,248)
Comments
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When the summer sun screams across Mexico’s city streets and sandy beaches, mangonadas come to the rescue. Also called chamangos, they can be made with any combination of mango sorbet, chopped fresh mango or mango purée, and may or may not be spiked, but they’ll always contain the salty, spicy and tangy flavors of Tajín and chamoy. Tajín, a chile-lime salt, is a delicious addition to sweet and savory foods alike. Its sister condiment, chamoy, is traditionally made from fermented fruit, salt, sugar and chiles. Depending on your location, you can find Tajín, chamoy and tamarind straws — their sour, chewy coating adds an extra tickle of tartness — at supermarkets or Latin American grocers; all three are available online.

Featured in: ‘Tajín Is a Lifestyle’: An Appreciation of the Mexican Seasoning Mix

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 5large ripe mangoes (about 15 ounces each), peeled, pitted and cut into ½-inch pieces (about 8 cups), or 2½ pounds frozen mango, defrosted
  • ¼cup granulated sugar, or to taste
  • ¼cup fresh lime juice (from 2 fresh limes)
  • 1½cups cold water, or as needed
  • ¾cup silver tequila or rum (optional)
  • ¾ to 1cup chamoy
  • Tajín, to taste
  • 4tamarind candy straws (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Place 5 cups mango in a blender, reserving the remaining mango. Add the sugar, lime juice and ¾ cup cold water to the blender, and blend on medium-high speed until puréed. Blend in tequila or rum, if using. Blend in additional water, adding ¼ cup at a time, until mango mixture reaches the desired consistency.

  2. Step 2

    Chill mango mixture, covered, in refrigerator until ready to serve. For a colder mangonada, transfer mixture to the freezer until it reaches the consistency of a slushy.

  3. Step 3

    To serve, pour or scoop about ½ cup of mango mixture into each of four 16-ounce glasses. Add about ⅓ cup reserved mango to each glass, followed by 1½ to 2 tablespoons chamoy and a generous sprinkle of Tajín. Repeat with the remaining mango mixture, mango pieces, chamoy and a final sprinkling of Tajín on top. Garnish each glass with a tamarind candy straw, if using, and a spoon. Serve immediately.

Ratings

4 out of 5
1,248 user ratings
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Comments

Mimi L

Couldn't one start with frozen mango chunks instead of making the puree and freezing?

Bar Not Kitchen

If looking for an easy Chamoy recipe, I found this one from Rick Bayless: 1 cup of apricot jam (or mango jam) 1/4 cup of fresh lime juice 2 teaspoons ancho chile powder 1/2 teaspoon of salt Simply put all the ingredients into a blender and puree until smooth. For a spicier sauce just add more chile powder.

Myra

Marianne M - if you Google DIY Tajin you can find recipes - it is chili, lime and salt. But, the real thing is available in many grocery stores these days, even (gasp) Walmart. Or, you know, so I'm told...

LS

Do you have any information about the straws shown in the photo?

Dena

So I had chamoy and tijan but no mango, and I was eager to try this recipe in our current NYC heat wave. I dripped a judicious mixture on a small bowl of high quality mango sorbet, and it was delicious!

emcee

This was quite refreshing in the midst of a hot summer. I used a combination of fresh, frozen and canned mango. Froze the mixture in lightweight aluminum cups in the freezer. I never could find the tamarind straws, even here on the Mexican border

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