Yield: 1 cup
Measure | Ingredient |
---|---|
½ pounds | Tamarind pods |
\N \N | (8-10 pods) |
1½ cup | Boiling water |
Peel the skin off the tamarind pods with a paring knife. Break the pulp into 1-inch pieces and place in the bowl of a blender with 1 cup boiling water. Let the tamarind soften for 5 min.
Run the blender in short bursts at low speed for 15-20 seconds to get a thick brown liquid. Do not overblend, or you'll break up the seeds.
Pour the resulting liquid through a strainer, pressing hard with a wooden spoon to extract the juices, scraping the bottom of the strainer with a spatula.
Return the pulp in the strainer to the blender and add ½ cup boiling water. Blend again and pour the mixture through the strainer, pressing well to extract the juices.
Tamarind water (or puree) will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator and can be frozen for several months.
To make Tamarind Nectar, combine 1 cup tamarind water with 4 cups cold water, and add sugar to taste.
The Caribbean Pantry Cookbook
by Steven Raichlen
ISBN 1-885183-10-0
pg 118-119
Submitted By DIANE LAZARUS On 12-13-95