Mangonada (Mango Chamoy Drink)

History & Origin

Mangonada, also known as chamango or mangolada, is one of the most iconic street drinks of contemporary Mexico. Although it lacks the pre-Hispanic roots of other Mexican preparations, mangonada is the product of the creativity of Mexican street vendors who began popularising it in the 1980s and 90s in states such as Sinaloa, Sonora and Jalisco. The drink was born from the Mexican tradition of eating mango with chilli and lime, a custom deeply rooted across the country. The key ingredient is chamoy, a sweet-sour and spicy sauce made from dried fruits such as apricot or plum, chilli and lime, which has its origins in Asian influence on Mexican gastronomy through trade with China and Japan via the Manila Galleons. Mangonada is prepared with blended fresh mango, liquid chamoy, Tajin chilli powder and a squeeze of lime, creating an explosion of the four fundamental flavours of Mexican cuisine. In recent years it has crossed borders and become a trend in the United States, where mangonada businesses have multiplied exponentially.