Spicy Mango Limeade

Ancho (Ahn-cho) Chile (Capsicum Annum) means Wide Chile Pepper. This chile ranges from 3 – 4 on a heat scale of 1 to 10. An Ancho is the dried form of a Poblano Pepper and often is mislabeled as a Pasilla or Mulato Pepper. Anchos have sweet fruity flavor with hints of cherry, prune, and fig. Anchos, combined with the Pasilla and Guajillo, form the Holy Trinity of chiles used to prepare the traditional mole sauces. Scoville heat units are 1,000 to 3,000.

Heat Scale
Submit Recipe

Makes about 1 quart

¾ cup sugar
1 cup water
3 Tablespoons fresh lime zest (from about 3 limes )
1 cup chopped, peeled fresh mango
2 cups water
¼ – ½ teaspoon ground ancho chile*
1 cup fresh lime juice (from about 8-10 limes)

*To make your ancho chile powder: grind a dried chile in a coffee or spice grinder till a fine powder.

In a small saucepan bring the sugar, 1 cup of water, and the lime zest to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
Remove from heat, cover and let infuse at least one hour, or overnight.
Strain the cooled lime syrup into a blender and add the mango chunks, 2 cups water, cayenne and fresh lime juice.
Puree until completely smooth. Taste and add more lime juice if you’d like it a bit more tart.
Serve in tall glasses with a lot of ice. Add a shot of tequila and a lime garnish, if you like (you will.)

Slightly adapted from a recipe from stresscake.wordpress.com