I can't remember if this recipe was handed down to me by my mother or her mother. Regardless, this juice is a decidedly Filipino recipe. It is one of my favorites and always takes me back to my childhood. Whenever cantaloupes go on sale at the food store, I make sure to pick a couple up to make myself a pitcher or five. What can I say? I'm addicted to cantaloupe juice.
INGREDIENTS:
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
Cut the melon in half. Using a spoon, scrape out the seeds and pulp and place in a strainer over a large bowl or pitcher. Use 1 liter of water to "rinse," catching runoff into bowl. If desired, you can "re-rinse" using the runoff, making sure to catch the water. Transfer to Pitcher.
Using a melon-scraper, scrape out melon flesh into noddle like strips. Add to pitcher. Pour in the 2nd liter of water and add sugar to taste. Quantity of sugar will vary between a half and a full cup depending on the personal preference and natural sweetness of individual melon. I usually add about 3/4 cup. Refrigerate at least one (1) hour prior to serving.
A NOTE ON MELON-SCRAPERS:
Similar to a melon-baller in purpose and often having a melon-baller on one end, this kitchen tool looks like the business end of a citrus zester, the only difference being that the "eyes" are much larger. MarketManila.com describes it as being made of "thin pieces of stainless steel or tin…twisted and anchored in a handle so that they cut through the soft melon and create long strips of melon for desserts or drinks."
Melon-scrapers are hard to come by here in the States. Stateside Filipinos often make arrangements with friends and family visiting the Philippines to bring one back with them when they return. They are hard to find online as well. Amazon and eBay did not have any listed the last time I checked and the only place online that I could find that carried a set was at PilAmFood.com, an online store front for a New Jersey Filipino market. (Here is their Facebook page.) Unfortunately, I have no direct experience with this business to make a solid recommendation of their service. However, they do have an A+ rating at the Better Business Bureau. If you decide to try them out, please let me know what you think.
Alternatively, you can look up a Filipino market near you. If all else fails, use a melon-baller.
I, on the other hand, use the fork and spoon method. Basically, I run a fork through the melon flesh much like I would for spaghetti squash and then scoop out the pieces with a spoon. This is very messy and takes a lot of patience, especially if the fruit is not sufficiently ripened. Another method I've used involves cutting the flesh out of the rind and dicing it finely either by hand or with a chopper.
INGREDIENTS:- 1 - Cantaloupe
- 2L - Water
- 1/2 to 1 Cup Sugar (to Taste)
- Lots of patience
1 Cantaloupe makes about 2 Liters.
Make sure your pitcher has enough room for juice and displacement caused by melon flesh. You are basically infusing water with fresh fruit.
Make sure your pitcher has enough room for juice and displacement caused by melon flesh. You are basically infusing water with fresh fruit.
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
Cut the melon in half. Using a spoon, scrape out the seeds and pulp and place in a strainer over a large bowl or pitcher. Use 1 liter of water to "rinse," catching runoff into bowl. If desired, you can "re-rinse" using the runoff, making sure to catch the water. Transfer to Pitcher.
Using a melon-scraper, scrape out melon flesh into noddle like strips. Add to pitcher. Pour in the 2nd liter of water and add sugar to taste. Quantity of sugar will vary between a half and a full cup depending on the personal preference and natural sweetness of individual melon. I usually add about 3/4 cup. Refrigerate at least one (1) hour prior to serving.
A NOTE ON MELON-SCRAPERS:
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| [Image Source: asianinamericamag.com] |
Similar to a melon-baller in purpose and often having a melon-baller on one end, this kitchen tool looks like the business end of a citrus zester, the only difference being that the "eyes" are much larger. MarketManila.com describes it as being made of "thin pieces of stainless steel or tin…twisted and anchored in a handle so that they cut through the soft melon and create long strips of melon for desserts or drinks."
Melon-scrapers are hard to come by here in the States. Stateside Filipinos often make arrangements with friends and family visiting the Philippines to bring one back with them when they return. They are hard to find online as well. Amazon and eBay did not have any listed the last time I checked and the only place online that I could find that carried a set was at PilAmFood.com, an online store front for a New Jersey Filipino market. (Here is their Facebook page.) Unfortunately, I have no direct experience with this business to make a solid recommendation of their service. However, they do have an A+ rating at the Better Business Bureau. If you decide to try them out, please let me know what you think.
Alternatively, you can look up a Filipino market near you. If all else fails, use a melon-baller.
I, on the other hand, use the fork and spoon method. Basically, I run a fork through the melon flesh much like I would for spaghetti squash and then scoop out the pieces with a spoon. This is very messy and takes a lot of patience, especially if the fruit is not sufficiently ripened. Another method I've used involves cutting the flesh out of the rind and dicing it finely either by hand or with a chopper.
One of the funny things about Filipino recipes: there are probably as many variations to them as there are islands and native languages in the Philipines. (FYI: There's about 7,000 islands [1] and roughly 120-170 languages [2] in the Philippines.)
Want to take your cantaloupe juice to the next level?? Here are some variations I found on Pinterest [3][4] that I will be trying out soon.
- Rowena Dumlao-Giardina at Apron And Sneakers and "Marketman" at Market Manila both use mint to garnish their drinks.
- Menawhile, this recipe at WokWithRay.com uses vanilla to give the drink it's own unique flavor.
- Jun Balen uses fresh squeezed Filipino calamansi limes for his Melon Coolers.
- AngSarap.net recommends drinking their version immediately as the combination of juice acids and milk causes the drink to go bitter if it stands for too long.
- Apparently, India has their own version of the cantaloupe juice. And at SpicyTreats.com, Sangeetha Manikandan uses milk and honey to give a milkshake flair to his recipe.