Mango Pineapple Smoothie with Ginger and Cardamom

Mango milk in Chad is a popular street food. Mango, or any other tropical fruit, is blended into milk and mixed with cardamom and ginger to create a smooth, delicate, and refreshing drink! The best part about this drink is the extra level of freshness that the ginger provides. Keep reading for my version of Chadian mango milk: A Mango Pineapple Smoothie. 

My “mango milk” from Chad resembles more of a mango smoothie. Mostly because I thought that this adaptation of a common Chadian food would more likely align with Western taste and texture. 

“Hello Reader! I try my hardest to research recipes as best as I can before posting to ensure I am representing each culture correctly. If this recipe is from your country and I have made a mistake or you have suggestions for how to make it more authentic, I would love to hear! Please leave a comment below letting me know what should be different, and I will rework the recipe. It is always my intention to pay homage and respect to each cultural dish that I cook. Thanks for reading!”

Using Frozen Fruit in Your Smoothie

What makes this mango milk more like a smoothie are the frozen bits of mango and pineapple. Freezing your fruit before putting them in a smoothie reduces the need for ice. Therefore, your smoothie becomes thicker and more flavorful without being watered down by the ice! 

Adapting Your Mango Pineapple Smoothie

Mango and pineapple are my two very favorite fruit combinations in a smoothie (also evident by my recipe for Acai Bowls from Brazil) and frozen fruits of each variety are staples in my freezer. However, if you think you’d like a different fruit combination more, feel free to experiment. 

I originally found inspiration for this post with a Chadian’s reference to Papaya milk. The concept stays the same, but you simply use papaya instead of mango…. If this is something you’d like to try, I’d love to hear how it turns out! 

Making Your Smoothie Dairy Free

If you’d like to try this recipe from Chad but are sensitive to (or just don’t like) dairy, you have options! My first recommendation would be to substitute coconut milk, as it will add to the tropical flavor of the recipe and is a very popular ingredient in Chad. 

If you do not prefer coconut milk, you can also substitute almond milk or any other dairy free options. 

If you liked this mango pineapple smoothie recipe from Chad, feel free to check out my other drink recipes as well!: 

• Iced Coffee Recipe with Sweetened Condensed Milk
• Hibiscus Tea with Strawberries and Basil
• Butter Tea from Bhutan