Tamarind paste is tart, sour, sweet, and comes from a tangy fruit pod with lip-smacking flavor. Widely used in Filipino recipes, it is an ingredient that cannot be missed in favorites such as sinigang, tamarind drinks, and worldwide Asian cuisine. Unripe tamarind is more sour, and when it’s more ripe, it sweetens. Both are important in creating tongue-hugging recipes.
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Making tamarind paste is super easy. I have tried both store bought and homemade, and like many things, the homemade version is very fresh and vibrant.
Tamarind has been very important to my cooking for many years considering that my favorite soup, sinigang, uses this ingredient.
However, after using ready-made tamarind paste, I could never find one that had the same homemade quality of fresh tamarind paste. The flavor of pre-made was sometimes not as strong and slightly imbalanced.
Therefore, making tamarind paste from scratch was the true solution…and a simple one at that.
What is Tamarind?
Tamarind comes from a leguminous tree that bears edible fruit in pods, called tamarind. It’s native to Africa and wide spread in Asia. (1)
These brown, firm shelled pods, have a fruit inside that is soft and has veiny fibers running through. The pulp is edible and has a wonderfully sweet, sour, tangy flavor profile.
The greener, the more sour, and the browner, the more sweet and ripe. Make your choice.
I absolutely love the unique sweet-sour of tamarind with some tangy, lip-smackable taste. No wonder why Filipino recipes and throughout the culinary world, tamarind is an ingredient that draws you in and creates distinctive dishes that are note-worthy and memorable.
It is used for a variety of recipes (like in the “famous” soup of the Philippines called sinigang such as beef sinigang and pork sinigang) and used in beverages and candies.
If you haven’t given tamarind a try, go for making this tamarind paste so you can get the first impression and fall in love with discovering how far you can take this flavor.
How does Tamarind taste?
Tamarind is tangy and sour-sweet. As aforementioned, the greener, the more sour. The more brown, the more ripe and sweet.
Does Tamarind have seeds?
Yes, tamarind does have seeds.
When making tamarind paste, it is important to remove the seeds and separate the pulp from the fibrous strands.
The seeds and fibers are left behind while you press the pulp through a strainer to create the paste.
What kind of Tamarind do you use to make Paste?
I love an in between choice to add both a little sweet, acidity, and tangy sourness to my recipes.
For beverages and tamarind cocktails, I use more ripe tamarind.
For sinigang soups, a more puckery, unripe tamarind is ideal.
It’s easy to go to the market and see tamarind pods, and you can ask if it’s unripe or the ripe version if you need assistance.
You can commonly find tamarind in Filipino food stores, Indian grocers, and other Asian markets.
EQUIPMENT Needed
- pot
- spoon
- mesh wire strainer
This is all you need to make easy tamarind paste from scratch. These mesh strainers are durable, stainless, and come in a set of three sizes.
Can I use enameled cast iron or non-stick pot instead of stainless steel?
You can definitely use either an enameled cast iron or a non-stick pot instead of stainless steel, especially when dealing with acidic ingredients.
These alternative types of cookware are particularly advantageous as there is no chance of any reaction occurring between the acidic food and the pot’s material.
The enameled cast iron provides a durable and heat-retentive option, while the non-stick pot ensures easy release of food and convenient cleanup.
So, feel free to opt for either of these options to suit your cooking needs or whatever pots you easily have on hand.
INGREDIENTS
- tamarind pods
- water
HOW TO MAKE Tamarind Paste
Easy, fresh Tamarind Paste in a few steps.
- Wash and clean well the tamarind pods.
- Remove the shells and fibers. You can leave the shell if it won’t come off easily.
- Simmer very LOW in water for 40-50 minutes.
- Remove from water, shock in an ice bath, then remove quickly and dry off.
- If you already removed the pod shells skip this step. Remove the pod shells. They should easily break up and come apart to separate.
- Take the tamarind fruit and place in a food wire mesh strainer with a bowl underneath.
- Take the back of a spoon and begin to press the pulp through the strainer. Repeatedly pressing and moving the back of the spoon back and forth to press more pulp through the strainer. The seeds and fibers will start to separate from the pulp and be left behind.
- Use the spoon to scrape the other side of the strainer (that’s the paste) to make space for more pulp to pass.
- Keep going and repeating until as much pulp has been pressed through as possible. Store the strained tamarind paste in an airtight, glass mason jar for up to three weeks. You can boil the jar and the jar lid to ensure it is very clean for an even longer shelf life.
How long should I process the paste in a hot water bath or pressure canning for longer shelf life?
If you want tamarind paste that is thicker and also will store longer in the refrigerator, then simmer the paste, stirring very frequently, to allow the moisture to reduce until you achieve your desired consistency.
To ensure a longer shelf life for the paste, you can process it using either a hot water bath or pressure canning method.
However, determining the specific processing time may require further clarification. Typically, when canning similar products like jam, the processing time is determined based on the acidity level of the mixture and the size of the jars.
Therefore, I would recommend referring to reliable canning guidelines to determine the appropriate processing time.
These guidelines will take into account factors such as the acidity of the paste, jar size, and type of canning method used, ensuring that you achieve the desired shelf life for your tamarind paste.
Can I freeze tamarind paste?
Yes absolutely. This is my preferred method as freezing does not cause any issues to the tamarind paste, and the paste still retains it’s quality.
Freezing tamarind paste in smaller portions, such as ice cubes, is more convenient as it enables users to thaw only the required amount without having to defrost a big portion or whole jar.
I like small freezer bags as they can hold a small amount and make an airtight seal so the tamarind paste is very fresh.
What consistency should the tamarind pulp have after squeezing and pressing?
After pressing, the desired consistency should resemble that of a smoothie.
The process of pressing through the wire mesh helps to loosen the pulp from its fibers, resulting in a very smooth and pulpy texture.
Add a little water if you want the paste to be less viscous.
How to Store Tamarind Paste
- Transfer the tamarind paste into a clean, airtight glass container. A glass jar with a tight lid works best for this purpose.
- Make sure the container is completely dry before adding the paste to prevent any moisture from spoiling it.
- Seal the container tightly to prevent air from entering and causing the paste to dry out.
- Store the tamarind paste in the refrigerator. The cool temperature will help prolong its shelf life.
- Make sure to use a clean spoon or utensil each time you take out the paste to avoid introducing any contaminants.
- You can also freeze the paste in tiny batches in a ice cube tray or small freezer bags.
Following these steps will ensure that your tamarind paste stays fresh and flavorful for an extended period.
Remember to check for any signs of spoilage or off odors before using the paste, and discard it if you notice any signs of deterioration.
Easy Tamarind Paste
Equipment
- 1 pot to boil water
- 1 strainer
- 1 glass bowl
- 1 mason jar for storing in refrigerator
- 1 food bag or ice cube trays for freezing
Ingredients
- ½ lb tamarind pods
- 4 cups drinking water to boil the pods in
Instructions
- Clean the tamarind pods and scrub any debris off. You can either take the shell off BEFORE or if the shells are quite stuck to the pulp, you can remove the shell AFTER. It doesn't matter the order. When the shell is easy to remove, I do it beforehand.½ lb tamarind pods
- Boil enough water (use drinking water) to completely submerge the tamarind pods, then bring the water to a low simmer.4 cups drinking water
- Submerge the tamarind pods and let them simmer on very low for 40-50 minutes until softened.
- Remove them from the water and shock in an ice bath. If you already removed the shells…SKIP this step.Using gloves as needed, remove the outer shells if you didn't remove the shells beforehand. They should break off easily and remove any little pieces of the outside shell. Pull out the inside pulp as whole as possible. Be sure there is no outer shell left on the fruity pulp you are taking out.
- Place the fruit pulps in a big mesh strainer. Take the back of a big spoon to press hard and get the pulp to go though the mesh strainer.
- Use a spoon to scrape the other side of the mesh strainer to keep getting more paste. Keep pressing until all that remains is the fibers and seeds. Repeat till you have pressed all the pulp through the strainer. You can clean the strainer and do it one more time for a smoother tamarind paste.
- Scrape the other side of the strainer for all that delicious tamarind paste.
- If you are using this paste within a week, you can store in an airtight glass container.You can also freeze the paste and use what you want, when you want it. An ice cube tray or little food bags work well.Serve in your favorite soups, recipes, drinks and enjoy!
Notes
- use for sinigang (Filipino sour soup)
- make sampalok juice
- use for curry dishes
- make a Ginger Tamarind Mule Cocktail in a punchbowl for a party
- make refreshing tamarind drinks
Nutrition
(1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamarind
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