Want to know a Filipino secret to cooling down in scorching summer heat? It’s no secret that the Philippines can get pretty hot, so finding delicious ways to stay hydrated is a must! This Filipino melon juice is the PERFECT summertime drink to feel refreshed and energized to beat the burning heat!
This simple Filipino melon drink is incredibly easy to make at home and it’s BURSTING with flavor. Growing up in Stockton, CA, where the summers can easily get over 100°, this was the drink I always looked forward to!
Cantaloupes are so sweet and ripe during the summer, making it the ultimate refreshing drink! Enjoy it with a delicious bowl of Adobong Manok (Chicken Adobo) for dinner, OR for weekend brunch with Adobo Fried Rice and Filipino Eggplant Omelette (Tortang Talong)!
If you're in the mood for more juicy ripe fruits, check out my delicious Strawberry Matcha Latte recipe or easy Filipino Mango Graham Float!
Making Filipino Melon Juice
Putting together this fruity drink only takes a few ingredients, including juicy stands of cantaloupe. Traditionally in the Philippines, a melon scraper is used to create these beautifully long and wispy strands of cantaloupe. However, they’re tougher to find in the U.S. and it’s not a tool I’d typically use outside of making melon juice.
As a workaround, I decided to use the tried and true box grater! I will admit, it’s not as aesthetic as using the melon scraper. However, you still get all those delicious bits of cantaloupe and (more importantly) extract all of its sweet juice!
Sweeteners
For this recipe, we’re creating an easy simple syrup made of water and sugar. Yes, the syrup definitely lives up to its simple name! I don’t have much of a sweet tooth, so this recipe is lightly sweetened, however, if you are a sugar feign, adjust the sweetener to your liking!
Also, if you’d like a healthier alternative, you can swap out the syrup for honey or agave instead. I just don’t recommend granulated sugar because it doesn’t dissolve well in cold water.
You’ll end up with crunchy bits of sugar in your pitcher or glass, heh.
Best Ways of Serving This Refreshing Drink
The best way by FAR to enjoy this Filipino melon juice is chilled straight from the fridge. It’s SO refreshing once it hits your palette, there’s nothing like it!
If you leave the cantaloupe juice out for too long and it gets room temp, keep in mind that adding ice will dilute the juice flavor. To prevent that, you can freeze some of the juice into ice cubes to prevent diluting or you can make the melon juice slightly sweeter if you decide to use regular ice cubes.
If you’d like to try a creamy variation, you can add a splash of milk into your drink! It’s still the refreshing delicious melon drink but with an added richness. SO good!
If you decide to have it with milk though, add the milk to your glass right before enjoying it vs to the entire pitcher. Cantaloupes have a chemical compound that breaks down the protein in milk which results in a bitter taste over time. So, it’s best to stir in right before sipping and drinking!
Let's Get Cooking!
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Filipino Melon Juice
Ingredients
Simple Syrup:*
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ cup water
Ingredients:
- 1 small 2-pound cantaloupe* cut in half, and seeds removed
- 4 cups cold water
- simple syrup recipe*
- Milk optional
Instructions
- In a small pot, make the simple syrup by combining the sugar and water.
- Heat the pot on medium and cook until the sugar is dissolved, stirring occasionally. Turn off heat and allow syrup to cool while preparing the rest of the ingredients.
- Cut cantaloupe into large slices. Remove the flesh from the rind, cutting off any green parts of flesh because it’ll make the drink bitter. Using a melon/coconut scraper or large holed box grater, shred the cantaloupe flesh into long strands.
- Transfer the cantaloupe flesh and any of its juices to a large pitcher or airtight container, then add cold water and simple syrup and mix together.
- Chill in the refrigerator for at least 5 hours, up to overnight. The longer you’re able to allow the drink to steep, the more flavorful it’ll be.
- When it’s ready to serve, pour it into glasses and serve with ice. If you want your drink creamy, pour some milk into the serving glasses before enjoying!
Notes
- Melon/Coconut Scraper: This is what I used to easily create long strands of cantaloupe! It's SO much easier to use than a box grater & highly recommend it. Alternatively, you can use a box grater but you'll have short strands & is a bit messier, but still works.
- Simple syrup is very easy to make, however, if you’d like a healthier alternative, you can substitute it with ¼ cup of honey or agave. I don’t recommend granulated sugar because it doesn’t dissolve well in cold water and will end up as crunchy bits at the bottom of your container.
- Adjusting Sweetness: I enjoy a lightly sweet drink, so this melon juice has a touch of sweetness. However, if you have a sweet tooth, you can increase the sweetener to your liking! To increase the simple syrup, keep the water and sugar ratio 1 to 1.
- Cantaloupe: This recipe accounts for a 2-pound cantaloupe. If your cantaloupe weighs more, you can either use a portion of the melon or increase the recipe ingredients to match the large quantity.
- Creamy Melon Juice: If you'd like your melon juice to be on the creamy side, you can add milk to the drinking glasses before serving. I don't recommend adding milk to the entire pitcher / container, however, the protein in the milk will break down overtime as it sits with the cantaloupe.
Nutrition
Exact calculations may vary. For the most accurate nutritional information, use your preferred nutrition calculator, actual ingredients, and quantities used for the recipe. Please consult with your physician or registered dietitian if more precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
HEY, I'M MIKHA!
...A fellow food lover who believes anyone can whip up a delicious meal - no matter your skill level! These quick & easy Asian recipes will help you transform simple ingredients into a drool-worthy meal for you & the people you love most - without spending all day in the kitchen.
Now come on - Grab a seat & let's eat!
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