Almost ripe mangoes with a bit of tang make the perfect partner for the sometimes almost cloying sweetness of very ripe melon (cantaloupe).
Cook’s notes
I love melon and I love smoothies. Not necessarily for breakfast, and not only during the hot summer months when ice-cold drinks seem nothing less than heaven-sent, but just about any time I feel like it.
But melon can be monotonously sweet. I usually pour in a teaspoonful of calamansi juice to add a refreshing zest to the sweetness of the melon. So, when I chance upon almost ripe mangoes — on the verge of sweetness but with a sharp tang of the sourness that it is about to discard (we describe as nag-aagaw tamis) — I ditch the calamansi juice.
Half a melon and one large or two medium not-quite sweet mangoes make the perfect smoothie. You get enough to fill two tall glasses. Double or triple the ingredients if serving to more than two people.
Tips for best results:
- For an ultra cold smoothie, chill the fruits before cutting and pureeing.
- Add just enough water to help the blender motor process the fruits.
- The amount of sugar you need depends on how sweet or bland the melon is, how tart the mangoes are and what flavor balance you’re looking for.
Mango and melon smoothie
Ingredients
- 2 cups cubed semi-ripe mangoes
- 2 cups cubed melon (cantaloupe, not watermelon)
- sugar or honey to taste
- ½ cup cold milk
Instructions
- Dump the cubed mangoes and melon into the blender.
- Add sugar (start with two teaspoons), half a cup of ice cold water and about six ice cubes.
- Process until smooth and the ice cubes are crushed.
- Pour in the milk.
- Process on LOW speed just until blended.
- Taste, add more sugar, if needed, and pulse a few times before serving.
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