You can pick up tamarind paste already premade, but these sometimes have other ingredients in them as well, and it’s cheaper to make your own for a lot more. I usually pick up the Tamarind Paste in 1 lbs blocks and make Homemade Tamarind Paste.
You can find it in the Import or Specialty Section of your local grocery store or at your nearby specialty stores. I picked this one up at T&T.
How to make Homemade Tamarind Paste
Place the Tamarind Block into a Sauce pot and add 5 Cups of Water. Bring this to a boil. Shut the heat off and allow to cool slightly.
Once the Tamarind has softened a bit and while still warm. Start mashing it so that it can thicken the added water. Allow to sit again until almost cooled completely.
Strain through a medium strainer and mash the pulp around to extract all the juice.
Remaining Pulp
After extracting the paste, you can mix the remaining pulp with sugar to taste and other ingredients to make Fruit Roll Ups.
Spread the remaining Pulp mixed in with other ingredients of your choosing and Sugar. Spread thin on a baking sheet, optionally with waxed paper underneath, and dehydrate. When ready, cut into strips and roll them up with the waxed paper.
You can also just save the Pulp to create another smaller batch of Tamarind Paste or Freeze to add directly to other dishes.
Uses for Tamarind Paste
Tamarind Paste is something almost completely overlooked. But this simple Paste can add so much to a variety of dishes.
- Tamarind Dipping Sauce
- Add to Soups where some sourness is required
- Use in BBQ Sauces
- In Pad Thai
- Create a Thai Sweet & Sour Sauce
- Curries
- Drinks
Storing Homemade Tamarind Paste
I fill an Ice Cube tray up and freeze. Once frozen, I place them into a Ziploc Bag and keep them frozen. Whenever a bit of tamarind paste is needed, I use up however many cubes I need.
Equipment
- 1 Pot
- 1 Strainer
Ingredients
- 1 lbs Tamarind Pulp - No Seeds
- 5 C Water
Instructions
- Chop the Pulp up into smaller pieces and place the Tamarind Pulp & Water into a Pot and Bring to a Boil. Shut the heat off and wait 10 – 15 minutes.
- Mash it further into the water until the water becomes thick and all the Tamarind is mashed in.
- Once thickened to a Paste, Strain it through a Medium Strainer while mashing more to ensure you squeeze out all the paste. Discard or the pulp and place the Tamarind Paste into Ice Cube Trays to Freeze. Once Frozen, remove them from the ice cube tray and store in a Ziploc Bag.