Mango Recipe

Brew strong black tea

Bring 1 cup hot water to a near-boil and steep 2 black tea bags (or 2 tablespoons loose leaf) for 4–5 minutes to make a strong infusion. Remove tea bags/strain leaves and set tea aside.

Prepare mango puree

Peel and dice one large ripe mango (about 1¼ cups diced) and puree in a blender until smooth. Measure out 1 cup mango puree. If using prepared puree, stir to combine before measuring.

Sweeten and combine

In a small saucepan, combine the mango puree, brewed black tea (2 cups), 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon honey. Warm gently over medium-low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves and mixture is just warm (do not boil) — about 3–4 minutes. Taste and adjust sweetness, adding more sugar or honey as needed. Remove from heat and stir in 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice to brighten the flavors.

Chill the tea

Let the mango tea mixture come to room temperature, then transfer to a covered container and chill in the refrigerator for at least 45 minutes (better if 2 hours) so flavors meld. Alternatively, place over an ice bath to cool faster, then refrigerate.

Assemble iced mango tea

Fill two tall glasses with equal amounts of ice cubes (about 1/2 cup ice per glass). Divide chilled mango tea between the glasses. Stir gently to ensure even temperature.

Garnish

Top each glass with a few fresh mango slices and 3 mint leaves. Add a lemon slice to the rim if desired. Serve immediately.

Optional hot serving

To serve warm instead of iced: reheat the chilled mango tea gently until hot (do not boil) and serve in heatproof cups with a mint sprig and a thin lemon slice.