Cuban recipe
Mamoncillo (Quenepa) Drink
Cuban homemade mamoncillo drink: fresh pulp, water, sugar and ice. No seeds in the blender and ready in 25 minutes.
- Preparation25 min
- Total time45 min
- Servings4 glasses
- DifficultyEasy
Mamoncillo, called quenepa in other countries, is that green-skinned fruit with juicy, sweet-tart pulp that in Cuba is bought by the bunch in the height of summer. It is almost always eaten by the bite, but the pulp also makes a very cool homemade fruit drink (refresco), light yellow in color and delicate in flavor.
This drink is different from a smoothie or a thick juice: here the pulp is worked by hand in water and strained, so it comes out light, translucent and seed-free. It is an alcohol-free drink, ideal for a hot afternoon or for sharing with the kids.
Ingredients
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Method
- Wash the mamoncillos well under cold running water and drain them.
- Open the skin of each fruit by pressing with your fingers or making a small cut with a knife, and remove the green skin.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba - Carefully separate the translucent pulp from the large seed with your fingers and drop it into a bowl as you go. Discard the seeds and any remains of the bitter membrane that surrounds the pulp.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba - Add the cold water to the bowl and break up the pulp with clean hands or a spoon, squeezing it gently so it releases its juice. Do not use a blender with the seeds.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba - Strain the liquid through a fine sieve into a pitcher, pressing the pulp with a spoon to get all the juice.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba - Sweeten with the sugar, stir until completely dissolved, taste and adjust the sweetness. If you like, add a few drops of lemon.
- Refrigerate at least 20 minutes until well chilled. Serve in glasses with ice.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba
