Tip: Make South American-Style Fruit Juice

A blender and some fruit, water, and sugar are all you need to make refreshing, South American-style jugo, or juice. Check out these tips from reader Eva.

Eva writes:

It’s super easy to make and much healthier and tastier than most bottled fruit juice. All you have to do is blend pulp with water and a bit of sugar, then strain it and serve it over ice.

For 1 cup of juice, I usually use ~5 oz. cold water, 2.5 oz. of fruit, and .5 oz. sugar (you can use white or demerara). Pulse all ingredients in a blender for 15 seconds or until well mixed. Strain if necessary.

Some tips:

• Exact proportions for sugar are hard to give because depending on the acidity of the fruit you’re using, you’ll need/want more or less sugar. Start on the lower side and add more as needed.

• Some fruits need to be peeled before and some you can just scoop the pulp out to use (like passion fruit)

• Some juices need to be strained after blending and some shouldn’t be strained. Fruits like passion fruit and guava that have hard seeds are always strained. Pulpy fruits like mango should not be as they a) don’t need to be and b) will be very difficult to get through the strainer.

• You can use either water or milk to make the “juice.” Most people blend more acidic fruits (like passion fruit) with water and thicker, creamier fruits (like mango) with milk.

• Latino markets in the states often stock frozen pulp. Make sure it’s unsweetened and 100% pulp, use it as you would fresh.

Thanks for the tips, Eva!

Related: Fruit & Vegetable Juicers: Should You Buy One?

(Images: Eva Siegel of Cocala via The Kitchn’s submission form)