Best Tamarind Pastepulp Recipes

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TAMARIND PASTE



Tamarind Paste image

Preparing tamarind paste is quite simple, and homemade paste has the added advantage of keeping for several months in the refrigerator, the result of its high acid content. Tamarind fruit comes in two forms: as blocks of fruit pulp or as whole fruit pods. If working with tamarind fruit pods, make sure they're unripe, which ensures a stronger degree of sourness and less sweetness. And don't forget to remove and discard the outer shell to use the pulp. Blocks of tamarind can be obtained from Indian and Asian grocery stores or online.

Provided by Nik Sharma

Categories     condiments

Time 1h

Yield About 1 cup

Number Of Ingredients 2

9 ounces tamarind fruit pulp (from a compressed block or from 15 to 20 shelled pods)
1 1/2 cups boiling water

Steps:

  • Separate the tamarind into small chunks and place the fruit into a medium heatproof bowl. (If using whole tamarind pods, remove and discard the outer shell and use the soft fruit inside.)
  • Pour the boiling water over the tamarind, submerge completely, cover with plastic wrap, and let sit for 30 to 45 minutes. Stir the tamarind occasionally with a fork at first, then, as the water cools, rub the fruit between your fingers to separate it from the seeds. The mixture will turn thick and pulpy.
  • Set a fine mesh sieve over a medium bowl and pass the mixture through to remove any fibrous materials and seeds, pressing firmly with a large spoon to squeeze out as much liquid as possible and scraping the tamarind from the bottom of the strainer into the bowl. The final consistency should be thick, almost like ketchup. Transfer the tamarind paste to a clean jar or container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.

TAMARIND PASTE/PULP



Tamarind Paste/Pulp image

I have been wondering about Tamarind paste after seeing it called for in Indian sauces and Pad Thai recipes. I found a great blog post that talked through the process and was funny and interesting to boot. I have taken her post and turned it into a recipe. Take a look at her blog post for a fun read and more detailed info on Tamarind! http://shesimmers.com/2010/05/how-to-prepare-tamarind-pulp-for-thai.html (Note: the water to tamarind block ratio is 1:1, so for example if the block you find is 10 ounce, use 10 ounces of water) Tamarind blocks are most often found at Asian Grocery stores.

Provided by Stacy Goodall @MrsGoodall

Categories     Seasoning Mixes

Number Of Ingredients 2

14 ounce(s) tamarind, seedless in block form
14 ounce(s) water, lukewarm (1 & 3/4 cup)

Steps:

  • Put tamarind and water in a bowl and let it soak for 15-20 minutes, breaking into smaller pieces as it soaks. (Having been shelled, deseeded, and kept in a condition where they stay moist, block tamarinds don't need to be boiled or soaked in boiling water.)
  • After soaking, grab a handful of the tamarind pods and keep squashing and squeezing the now-softened pulp to separate it from the veins, the seeds, and the tough membranes that cover the seeds. After the squashing and squeezing you will end up with a thick purée of tamarind pulp along with the veins, seeds, and membranes. (Discard the veins, seeds and membranes). You can run the tamarind pulp purée through a sieve to separate out the pulp. (NOTE: now that I have made this with 14 oz package, I recommend using a food mill, though it was fun using my hands, it took a little long.) When you deal with large amounts of tamarind purée, this makes sense. For smaller amounts it's just as easy to grab a handful of the tamarind purée and squeeze hard. The tamarind pulp purée will seep through your fingers as you tighten your fist while the veins, seeds, and membranes stay inside. Then you keep the purée and throw away the junk in your fist.* You keep doing this until you end up with nothing but thick and smooth tamarind pulp in the bowl. (it's really interesting to watch the pulp and water start to mix and thicken!)
  • Store pulp in a glass jar in the refrigerator. For longer storage consider freezing it as prepared tamarind pulp can get moldy after a couple of weeks in the refrigerator. If you have ice trays, fill them with the tamarind pulp, freeze, pop out the frozen cubes and store them in a freezer bag in the freezer.

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