Mango Mermaid Ocean Cocktail — A Summer Drink That Looks As Cool As It Tastes.
Mango season means more than just eating the fruit. You can blend, freeze, churn, or stir it into something new. One unusual way to enjoy ripe mango is by turning it into a layered cold drink with bright blue syrup and soda water. Chef Zebunnesa Begum calls it the Mango Mermaid Ocean Cocktail.
This drink doesn’t follow the typical juice routine. It’s got texture, color contrast, and that bubbly kick from soda water. And the whole thing takes less than 20 minutes to prepare.
Let’s break down how it’s done.
Ingredients
You’ll need:
- 2 ripe mangoes (preferably sweet varieties like langra or himsagar)
- 1 cup sugar
- A few drops of blue food coloring
- 1 cup soda water (any carbonated water will work)
- Crushed ice — as much as you want
No special tools are required. A blender, a pot for syrup, a spoon, and a tall glass.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Start with the mangoes. Wash, peel, and slice them. Remove the seeds.
Drop the mango pieces into a blender. Blend until smooth. You’re looking for a thick purée or pulp.
Set the mango pulp aside. Now make the syrup.
In a small pot, pour in the sugar and add a few drops of blue food color. Heat gently. Stir until the sugar melts and a clear blue syrup forms. Take it off the heat and let it cool.
Time to assemble the drink.
Take a glass. Add 2–3 tablespoons of mango pulp at the bottom.
Slowly pour in the blue syrup on top of the mango layer. Don’t mix. You want to see the separation between yellow and blue.
Add crushed ice. Pour soda water over the top. Again, pour gently so the layers don’t get cloudy.
Serve immediately. No straw needed, but a long spoon helps.
That’s it.
You just made a Mango Mermaid Ocean Cocktail.
It’s cold. It’s fizzy. It looks like two drinks in one. But it only uses five ingredients, and they’re all easy to get in most kitchens.
Why This Recipe Is Different
Most mango drinks go sweet and thick. This one stays light. The soda cuts the richness of the pulp. The syrup gives it visual appeal and added sweetness. The crushed ice makes it a chill-friendly drink for humid days.
There’s no milk, no yogurt, no artificial flavors other than a drop or two of color. That makes it suitable for those who are lactose intolerant or want something non-dairy.
The recipe is also flexible. If you don’t want food coloring, skip it. If you want it sweeter, add more syrup. If you want a thicker texture, increase the mango.
Even kids can help with this. All the steps are simple. No knife work beyond cutting fruit. No complicated tools. No boiling required except for the quick syrup.
It’s a visual drink. So if you’re planning to serve guests during a get-together, it can double as a conversation piece. You can also batch-prep the mango pulp and syrup separately ahead of time. Then assemble fresh when guests arrive.
One tip: Always add soda water last and gently. If you stir too much, the drink turns murky, and you lose that signature yellow-and-blue look.
If you’re looking for a mocktail for iftar or a quick chilled drink in the afternoon without caffeine, this hits both marks.
And unlike most commercial drinks, you control the sweetness here. That matters for people watching sugar intake or for kids.
