Mango Tea (Mango Iced Tea)
What’s better than a simple Iced Tea? A tasty fruity Mango Tea! This Mango Iced Tea recipe uses fresh Alphonso mangoes, black tea and very less sugar. Thus, each sip of this very summer beverage not only brings relief from the scorching heat, but is refreshing too. Don’t forget to try this drink in this mango season.
India, To The ‘Tea’
We Indians love tea. Period. I cannot imagine starting a new day without sipping on some Ginger Tea in my most favorite cup at home. And I’m sure this is the case with many of you too.
When it comes to our comfort hot beverages, tea was, is and I guess, will always be more popular than Coffee. In fact, for many people, coffee is love. But a lot of others consider tea, an emotion! Whether you have it with or without milk, spices, sugar; it has been a breakfast beverage since times immemorial.
However, since India has 4 major seasons with extreme temperatures in many parts of the country, it is not the best thing to consume a hot cup of tea. Especially, in summers, the body requires something that’s cooling and energy giving.
This is when an Iced Tea comes to your rescue. And what better way to amp this easy-peasy drink by using the ‘king of fruits’ in season. Mango Tea is going to soothe your soul and keep you brimming with energy on a sweltering day!
About Mango Tea
Apart from mangoes, there are other flavors that you can choose from to make your Iced Tea. For instance, there’s peach, rose, apple, lemon, raspberry, hibiscus, etc.
Since I have always been a mango lover and hoarder too, I decided to create this Mango Tea recipe. I’m sure you will like it too. So, make sure to prepare a large jar, refrigerate it and enjoy whenever you want to sip on something mangoliciously cool.
I have used the lovely Alphonso mango variety for this Mango Tea. For the tea brew, I have used black tea which just needs to be steeped in hot water and then chilled.
Though I have added some unrefined cane sugar in the tea, to use a sweetener or not, completely depends on how sweet the mangoes are. In case the fruit is too sweet, it is best to not add any extra sweetener.
Iced Tea Through The Ages
Primarily, iced tea is a type of chilled tea which can be sweetened and flavored too with different fruits. This Mango Tea recipe is one of the Indian versions made during the mango season.
The earliest mention of iced tea dates back to 1823. Some of the oldest iced tea recipes can be found in the cookbooks: Estelle Woods Wilcox’s Buckeye Cookbook (1876) and Marion Cabell Tyree’s Housekeeping in Old Virginia (1878).
From India, Nepal, China, Japan, Hong Kong, Vietnam and Indonesia to Greece, Turkey, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Sweden, Norway, UK, US and more, the iced tea has cultural variations in different parts of the world.
Iced Tea Varieties
While this Mango Iced Tea, Iced Tea and Mint Iced Tea are the ones that I usually make at home, there are other varieties worldwide that you may or may not have heard of.
So, here’s the list to give you an insight on iced teas that exist in the world:
- Based on the brew – These include the ones made with black tea/herbal tea in South US, China and Switzerland; Jasmine tea in Asia or Earl Grey tea. In India, a spiced Iced Chai is a well-known drink.
- Sweet Tea – Popular in US, this is made by strongly brewing the tea with a lot of sugar. Then, water is added to dilute the mixture and served with ice and lemon.
- Unsweet Tea – This is nothing but the regular Iced Tea just named differently in the southern regions of US.
- Sun Tea – This type is made by brewing tea leaves or bags with water in sunlight, resulting in a smoother flavor. This may or may not be sweetened or served with lemon.
- Refrigerator Tea – Consuming the this tea might be hazardous for the health as the tea never gets heated enough to kill the bacteria in it. Refrigerator Tea brews the tea for overnight in the refrigerator.
- Commercially produced – These include the Bottled Iced Tea, Fountain Iced Tea and Half-and-Half, made with iced tea and lemonade.
- Long Island Tea – Another popular cocktail which can be termed as a pseudo Iced Tea is the Long Island Iced Tea. It is made with various alcoholic straight drinks and cola. Does not have tea, but is called one because of the color.
Step by Step Photo Guide Above
Ingredients
- 2 mangoes – medium-sized Alphonso variety, yields approximately 1.5 cups mango pulp
- 3 teaspoons black tea powder or black tea leaves or 2 to 3 black tea bags
- 4 cups water
- ½ or ¾ tablespoons lemon juice or add as required
- raw sugar or white sugar, add as required
- 3 to 4 mint sprigs or mint leaves – for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Peel and chop the mangoes. Discard the stones.
- Puree them in a blender and refrigerate the mango puree until you brew the tea.
- Heat water until it boils on a stove top or in microwave.
- Remove the pan of hot water from the stove-top
- Add the black tea powder or tea leaves. Stir to combine.
- Cover pan with a lid. Let the tea steep in the hot water for 3 to 4 minutes or for more time if you prefer a stronger tea.
- Strain with a tea strainer in a bowl or jar. Cover and refrigerate the brewed black tea.
- Once the tea is cooled, remove from the refrigerator.
- Pour the tea in a blender.
- Add the mango puree, lemon juice and sugar as needed. Keep in mind the sweetness of the mangoes before adding sugar.
- Blend everything till smooth. If you have a small blender, then blend in batches.
- Add some ice cubes in tall glasses and pour the Mango Iced Tea. Serve straightaway garnished with mint leaves. You can choose to add mango slices or lemon slices as a garnish.
Notes
- Use mangoes which are sweet and with a firm pulp. Alphonso mangoes work best in this recipe, but any variety of sweet mangoes will work. Just make sure that the mangoes are not fibrous.
- Instead of black tea you can also make this mango tea with green tea. While steeping green tea, steep for a lesser time or else the tea can become bitter.
- If you prefer you can omit adding sugar. Or opt to add your preferred sweetener.
- You could also add some boba (tapioca pearls) and make mango bubble tea. Prep and cook the boba pearls before you mix them with the tea.
Nutrition
This Mango Tea from the archives first published on May 2013 has been republished and updated on 19 May 2022.
Lovely recipe. How to prep tapioca for the tea?
You will have to cook/boil the tapioca pearls in water until the soften. Once cooked drain the water and keep them soaked in cold water until you add them to the tea.
I will try this recipe during the mango season.
Can green tea bags/leaves be used to make iced tea?
Please share the recipes of other iced teas like strawberry iced tea and also lemon iced tea,mint and tulsi iced tea you have mentioned. Thank you so much.
Thanks Beena. I don’t know how the taste of mango and green tea will be. I will try to add these recipes.
For making Lemon Iced Tea can I use 3 cups of water and 2 black tea bags?
What is the quantity of lemons required for it?Would the procedure remain the same?
Thank you so much.
you can use this proportion. it will be a lightly infused tea. for preparing lemon tea, heat water till it reaches boiling point. add sugar and let it dissolve. switch off the flame and add the tea bags. let it infuse for some minutes or depending on how strong you want the tea. then add lemon juice. the quantity depends on how much tang you want in the tea. so you can add 1 to 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. then cool the tea and serve later. the method i am sharing is a simple straightforward method. there are other method as well to prepare lemon iced tea.
Thank you so much for your reply.
I made Lemon Iced Tea. It was really good.It was such a relief to drink it in this hot season.The best part is that I used fresh lemon juice to make it. Earlier I have made Lemon Tea using normal tea leaves which is served hot.Thanks a lot for your suggestion. I have been searching for Iced Tea recipes for long.I have had Iced Tea from Mad Over Donuts and they made it by using ready made powder,tap water and some ice cubes.
So basically,black tea is used or making Iced Tea and normal tea leaves is used for making hot tea?
welcome beena. lemon tea or for that matter any ice tea is refreshing. in fact i have been thinking of making a video, but gets postponed due to something or the other. ready made tea powder can also be used. one can use tea powder, black tea or tea leaves to make ice tea. tea leaves will give a nice light flavor of the tea. with tea powder one has not to steep it too much as then the tea will become strong. you can even use green tea or kashmiri tea powder/leaves. the kashmiri one is very good as it has spices like cardamom also in it.
Seriously? Black tea and mangoes, what a brilliant combination. Two things I love and sure they go well together. Can’t wait for mango season.
Looks fab, loved the pics …..
i try in my restaurant.
I used with used nut meg and little bit of cinnamon
Thanking you for publish this recipe becuase i was not
thanks.
this is a wonderful recipe.perfect to try during the mango season!
only u can think of this combo Absolutely lovely !
Sounds yummy perfect for this summer. Loved the pictures 🙂
This is such a creative way of serving tea:)