Nieves and raspados are more or less the same: flavored shaved ice. And chamoyadas are in the same family, but made a little differently; usually they’re a slushy consistency and you drink them with a straw. I’ve included the directions for both below.
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The mangonada is a quintessential Mexican treat made with mango, orange juice, chamoy and Tajín and it’s a popular snack or dessert with street vendors and neverías (ice cream shops) in Mexico. The sweetness of the mango and orange juice is contrasted by the sourness of the chamoy, and together they make a perfect marriage of what’s known as an “agridulce” (sweet and sour) flavor. Agridulce candies and treats, such as tamarindo con chile, are common and beloved all over the country.
RELATED RECIPE: Mango cantaloupe popsicles with chile powder
Liquid chamoy is available in most Mexican and Latin American markets in the U.S., usually found near the bottled salsas such as Valentina, Cholula and Tapatío. You can pour the chamoy around the rim of each mold to get it to drip down as directed in the recipe below, or you can put the chamoy in a small plastic chef’s squeeze bottle if you want more control.
The real variable in this recipe, though, is how much Tajín you sprinkle on top! The more Tajín you use, the more sour and salty flavor you’ll get. If you haven’t had a mangonada before, I’d recommend that you start with just a pinch of Tajín sprinkled on top in case the salty-sour experience isn’t really your thing.
RELATED RECIPE: Frozen orange slices with Tajín
If you prefer not to use store-bought chamoy, here’s my recipe for homemade chamoy, which is thicker than the store-bought variety and needs to be slightly more liquidy for it to drip down the popsicle molds properly. You can achieve a similar effect by using a spoon to smear the inside of the popsicle mold if you want to make your own chamoy from scratch with my recipe.
I’ve used a Norpro Ice Pop Maker popsicle mold to make these paletas, which makes 10 three-ounce popsicles and holds the sticks perfectly in place while in the freezer. (That’s an affiliate link to my Amazon store, El Mercadito.)
RELATED RECIPE: Street food-style mango cups
Prep
Inactive
Total
Yield 10 3-ounce pops
Make this fun spin on a traditional Mexican mangonada by adapting the recipe for your favorite popsicle mold!
Inactive time listed is for time needed to freeze the popsicles.
Courses Dessert
Cuisine Mexican
RELATED RECIPE: Mango and chamoy popsicles for a Zoku Quick Pop Maker
The best part of summer is the peak availability of so many fruits; it means you can make a variety of sweet treats with little or no added sugar, such as street food-style mango and orange cups with coconut chips, watermelon aloe juice, and all kinds of paletas. With what seems like a surplus of juicy oranges at my local supermarkets, I’ve been using them in many different ways all summer. Whether it’s juicing them, eating them plain, or sectioning them to make a fruity pico de gallo or ensalada xec (a Mayan citrus and jicama salad), there are lots of possibilities.
This healthy snack is one I like to make in advance, freeze and serve by the pool or in the backyard on hot summer days. It’s great to serve to kids as well because even if they eat two servings, they’re eating only one whole orange. Plus, it’s an easy snack for little hands to hold.
RELATED RECIPE: Mango cantaloupe paletas with chile powder
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I prefer to use safflower or grapeseed oil, which are great for cooking with high heat, but you can also substitute canola oil if that’s all you have handy. Just keep an eye on the chickpeas as they roast. Canola oil has a lower smoking point than grapeseed or safflower oil at 400 degrees Fahrenheit, so you should reduce the heat to 375 degrees Fahrenheit if using canola oil, and extend the baking time by about 5-10 minutes or until the chickpeas are sufficiently browned and crunchy.
It’s very popular, especially in the warm weather months, as it resembles an American slushie. You can grab one to go on the street or enjoy it with friends in an ice cream parlor.
If you’ve been reading The Other Side of The Tortilla for awhile, you may remember I interviewed Chef Kevan Vetter about the 2013 McCormick Flavor Forecast and how global flavor trends were incorporating Mexican flavors and sensibilities on a worldwide scale. This year marks McCormick’s 125th anniversary of the company celebrating the role flavor plays in all of our lives, inspiring flavorful conversation and giving back to communities around the world.
I’m thrilled to see that this trend and interest in Mexican cuisine has been growing exponentially and is again incorporated in the most recent report. The McCormick Flavor Forecast 2014 report includes two flavor insights particularly suited to highlighting Mexican cuisine: A worldwide obsession with chilies and a growing taste for regional Mexican fare in North America. Of the Mexican flavors considered to be trending globally this year is chamoy, a sweet and spicy condiment made with apricot, lime, chiles and salt. Chamoy also happens to be a key ingredient in the mangonada.
RELATED RECIPE: Mango and chamoy paletas
Although bottled chamoy can be found in most Mexican supermarket chains in the U.S. as well as for purchase online, I like to make my own so I know exactly what’s in it. Most of the commercially produced chamoy is loaded with sugar, preservatives and dyes. My version of chamoy uses apricot fruit spread (not jelly, jam or preserves) and natural ingredients so you can feel good about indulging in this treat. There are multiple brands that offer apricot fruit spread, which is more or less a jam or preserve made with little or no added sugar.
Ground ancho chile provides a subtle, earthy spice to this homemade chamoy without being overpowering. If you want to make your chamoy on the spicier side, you can add about 1/2 teaspoon more to the recipe below. And if you need to thin out the chamoy, you can add a little lime juice and store leftovers in the refrigerator. For a modern twist to the traditional mangonada, you can try substituting pineapple juice for orange juice.
Prep
Total
Yield 2 mangonadas
A traditional Mexican mango and orange juice slush with chamoy and chile lime salt, mangonadas are served everywhere from street vendors to neverías in Mexico and are very popular especially in the warm weather months.
The prep time in this recipe includes 30 minutes of inactive prep time for soaking the dried apricots.
Cuisine Mexican
I’ve been on a healthy homemade juice kick since we returned from Mexico in January. I’ve always loved carrot juice and whenever we vacation at the beaches in Mexico, I always order carrot juice with my breakfast if it’s available. Drinking carrot juice before getting sun, as well as after, can also help you hold onto a tan for a bit longer. (But don’t forget to wear sunscreen to protect your skin from harmful UV rays.) Carrot juice is high in Vitamin A and beta-carotene, which aids in tissue and bone development, benefits eyesight, boosts your immune system to help stave off colds, and helps heal dry, flaky skin. Carrot juice is rich in other minerals too, thanks to carrots being a root vegetable, and folates, which are a safe, natural provider of folic acid (and why you’re likely to see pregnant women drinking it). It’s packed with antioxidants, Vitamin C, B complex and also has a low glycemic load, making it a healthy and safe drink for diabetics. What’s not to love about carrot juice?
Every kid I know loves paletas—and every mom I know wants to reduce the amount of sugar in their kids’ diet. With summer upon us, I’m already seeing watermelon everywhere in the farmers markets and grocery stores. I love watermelon and would eat it for three meals a day if I could, so I’ve been getting more creative with how to use it. These are especially great on a really hot day! A bonus: Because these natural paletas aren’t like traditional popsicles, they’re much less likely to drip and stain clothing if that’s an issue with your kids.
And you don’t need to have kids to enjoy these simple paletas! You can honor your inner child or summer cravings for a popsicle with a healthier twist. For those with diet restrictions, these paletas are gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan-friendly. This “recipe” isn’t really a recipe; I like to think of it more as a healthy tip I’m passing on to you. Don’t discard leftover pieces that don’t make the cut: Sprinkle Tajín and squeeze a little lime juice on it for a snack, or cut them into bite-sized pieces and freeze to use as watermelon ice cubes to flavor your water….
Here’s a quick and easy treat for summer: Sprinkle tajín (chile-lime salt) on store-bought paletas de limón (lime-flavored popsicles; preferably made with real citrus juice). It’s an instant Mexi-treat!
When most people think of pico de gallo, they think of a salsa made of tomatoes, diced onion and fresh green chile (such as serrano or jalapeño), lime juice and cilantro. That salsa is also commonly referred to as salsa mexicana. This is not that (although salsa mexicana is good in its own way).
However, in parts areas of Mexico if you ask for pico de gallo you’ll end up with a sort of fruit salad-looking thing that you perhaps didn’t intend to order. But make no mistake, this kind of pico de gallo is one you’ll definitely want to try! It’s a favorite snack in our house–great for a lazy afternoon watching fútbol or even for entertaining guests….
The weather is getting warmer and that can only mean one thing: an explosion of Mexican street food carts popping up on every corner in the neighborhood where I do all my grocery shopping.
Among the carts that make my mouth water the most is one from which the sweet smell of roasted corn wafts through the spring air – and through my car window enticing me to stop for a quick treat. Yep, you guessed it: esquites.
The key ingredients of this antojito are roasted corn, lime juice, salt and dried ground chile piquin. And then there are the customizations and variations on the snack that can make it so unique from place to place. Sometimes sauteed with butter or onions and epazote, it can also be topped with mayonesa or crema Mexicana. And my favorite touch: a sprinkle of queso cotija, a dry, crumbly cheese with a little bite.
It’s usually served in a Styrofoam or plastic cup on the street, but don’t let the simple presentation fool you. Serve this at a spring or summer backyard barbecue and impress your guests with this simple treat they’re sure to love. Or just make it at home as a weekend snack!
Part of the beauty of this dish is that you can make changes or adjustments to your own tastes very easily without compromising any kind of measurements or balance so long as you follow the base of the recipe by roasting the corn either with butter or by adding a little water to the corn once you’ve cut it to help create a little juice. The portions of the lime juice, chile and toppings is up to you. The end result should be a sweet, sour, salty and spicy taste in every bite….
