A tasty Hawaiian treat – sweet and salty li hing mango – makes this margarita recipe a cut above any other. It’s festive and bright both in flavor and color and is sure to be the talk of the town at your next fiesta!
Boy, do I have a great cocktail recipe for you today! It’s just the right amount of sweet, salty and tangy and looks as beautiful as it tastes. This Li Hing Mango Margarita is sure to knock your socks off.
I’m so excited to be participating in Hola Jalapeño’s fourth annual #margaritaweek today. With Cinco de Mayo and lots of fun summer festivities right around the corner, it couldn’t come at a better time! I’ve already been drooling over all of the #margaritaweek recipes of years past, and this year I’m so excited to contribute my own.
If you’ve never had the pleasure of enjoying li hing mango, you’re in for a treat. I typically only snack on it whenever we’re in Hawaii, but it’s also sooo easy to make on your own as long as you have two ingredients on hand: a deliciously ripe fresh mango and li hing mui powder!
But wait, I know what you’re thinking: What the heck is li hing mui powder? Well, let me tell you.
What is li hing mui?
In a nutshell, li hing mui is a dried Asian plum, and the powder is simply these same plums ground into a fine dust. It’s quite popular in the Hawaiian islands, most often used to give a salty twist to sour gummies or dusted over fresh or dried tropical fruit. The third most popular use of li hing mui? You guessed it – in cocktails!
While you may be able to find li hing mui powder at a good Asian grocery store, I’ve found that simply ordering it via Amazon Prime is the most surefire way to get a hold of it, and it lasts forever because just a little bit goes a long way. You can find my favorite li hing mui powder here. [affiliate link]
How to Make a Li Hing Mango Margarita
Aside from the li hing powder and mango, this recipe very closely mirrors a typical margarita recipe. You’ll need both fresh mango (for garnish) and mango juice (for the cocktail), but other than that we’re looking at the usual suspects: tequila, orange liqueur and limes.
Now, before we get into the actual cocktail-making, we need to prep our glasses. Since the li hing powder is already a tad salty, I decided to rim my margarita glass with a combo of lime juice, sugar and that bright red salty stuff. I simply ran a lime wedge around the rim of my glass, and then dipped it in the sugar-li hing power mixture. Then you’ll want to load up your glass with ice to make sure your margarita is nice and frosty as soon as it’s poured.
Once that’s done, we can get into the good stuff. We’re going to throw our tequila, mango juice, orange liqueur and some more li hing powder into a cocktail shaker with more ice, and give it a good rattle or two. After that, simply strain into your prepared glass, garnish with a lime wheel and mango wedge and, voila, you’re ready to sip on the tastiest margarita in town.
You can check out all of the official #margaritaweek recipes here (and be sure to check back, because new recipes will be posted all week!), but I’ve also gone ahead and put together my own little margarita recipe roundup from here on the site. If nothing else, I hope it inspires you to get in the kitchen and whip up your own favorite margarita (or two) this weekend!
More Margarita Recipes to Try
If you prefer your margie blended rather than on the rocks, give these Frozen Watermelon Peach Margaritas a shot!
If you’re into margaritas in the neon color family, this bright pink Prickly Pear Margarita is definitely one for you.
Looking for something different that will bring out your newfound taste for mezcal? You’ll want to try these Smoky Pickled Strawberry Margaritas.
A great wintertime margie? This Pomegranate Margarita fits the bill!
This Li Hing Pineapple Margarita is for you if you want to try li hing with alllll the tropical fruits.
Get it while you can: this Blood Orange Margarita always speaks to me when I can find those elusive blood oranges!
More pineapple with a shot of extra acidity – If you’re a fan of grapefruit, you’ve got to try these Pineapple Pummelo Margaritas!
Taste of the Tropics Li Hing Mango Margarita
Ingredients
For the rim:
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon li hing mui powder
- 1 lime wedge
For the cocktail:
- 1 1/2 ounces white tequila
- 1/2 ounce orange liqueur (Triple Sec or Cointreau)
- Juice of 1-2 limes (depending on how tart you like your margie)
- 2 ounces mango juice
- 1/4 teaspoon li hing mui powder
To garnish:
- Lime wheel
- Mango slice
- Cocktail pick
Instructions
- In a small bowl or ramekin, mix together the sugar and li hing mui powder for the rim. Once mixed, pour onto a small round plate in a circle the size of the rim of your glass.
- Take the lime wedge and run it along the rim of whatever glass you are using, then dip the rim in the sugar-li hing powder mixture. Add ice to fill the glass and set aside.
- In a cocktail shaker halfway filled with ice, add the tequila, orange liqueur, lime juice, mango juice and li hing mui powder. Seal tightly and shake vigorously for about 15 seconds, then strain into your prepared glass.
- Slide the lime wheel and mango slice onto the cocktail pick and use it to garnish your drink, then enjoy!
Notes
- You can find li hing powder at Asian grocery stores or on Amazon here (affiliate link).
- Here is a link to the cute bamboo picks I used in the photos! (affiliate link)
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