In This ArticleView AllIn This ArticleWhat Is Chamoy?Uses for ChamoyWhere to Buy ChamoyHow to Store ChamoyWhat Is a Chamoyada?
In This ArticleView All
View All
In This Article
What Is Chamoy?
Uses for Chamoy
Where to Buy Chamoy
How to Store Chamoy
What Is a Chamoyada?
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Photo: Getty Images
If you pay a visit to Los Angeles or another area with a strong street food presence derived from Mexico, it’d be hard not to find chamoy being served in different ways. If you’re new to this fruit-forward sauce, paste or powder made withapricot, prunes, mango orplumsand dried chiles. It has a deliciously sweet and tangy flavor that’s just the right amount of sour and spicy. It’s perfect for adding flavor to everything from pork, salmon, vegetable side dishes and desserts to beverages, both alcoholic and nonalcoholic. Most brands of chamoy should be suitable for vegans, vegetarians and anyone following a gluten-free diet, but always check the list of ingredients. Here’s everything you need to know about chamoy, including where it came from and how to use it.
Chamoy is a condiment made of fruit (usually apricot, prunes, mango or plums), dried chiles and lime juice.
Alejandro Sanchez ofMaya’s Snack Barin New York says: “If you never tried it, it’s a very unique flavor. Although there are now variations, the original has a sweet and tangy taste, more like a sweet and sour, and a sweet smell.” In addition to the tried-and-true original, varieties like pineapple, watermelon and tamarind are also available from many brands.
Though chamoy is now closely associated with the food and culture of Mexico, that was not always the case. Its exact origin isn’t clear, but it isbelieved to have arrivedin Mexico courtesy of Chinese immigrants between the 16th and 19th centuries, according to food historianRachel Laudan.
Chamoy is incredibly versatile and adds depth to a variety of foods and drinks:
For a summertime treat, Sanchez suggests adding it to your homemade paletas (frozen pops). Try it with thesehealthy frozen pops recipes!
Chamoy is typically sold in liquid sauce form in bottles, perfect for easy storing at home and even taking on the go. Some brands offer a thicker version in a shallow round container, ideal for use as a rim paste, and others offer a powdered version that can be used like a spice.
Many bottled sauces and powders are shelf-stable and can be stored in your pantry for a few months to a year after opening; just be mindful of theexpiration date. However, freshly made chamoy without preservatives should stay refrigerated because it has a shorter shelf life of one to two months.
A chamoyada, sometimes called a mangonada or chamango, is a sweetmangobeverage layered with sweet and spicy chamoy. The drink is typically accented with a chamoy-and-Tajínrim and tamarind candy straws (look for tarugos in your specialty stores).
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