Tamarind
TAM-uh-rind
Tamarindus indica
Sour, fruity, date-like, tangy.
What it is
Tamarind is the sticky pulp inside the pods of Tamarindus indica, a tropical tree, and one of the most important souring agents in the world's kitchens. The pulp tastes sour and fruity with a date-like sweetness behind it, and it adds a tangy depth that lemon or vinegar cannot match. It is essential to South Indian, Thai, Mexican, and Middle Eastern cooking, in sambar, pad thai, agua fresca, and countless sauces and chutneys, and it is a base note in some commercial brown sauces. Sold as pulp, paste, or concentrate, it is soaked and strained to release its flavor.
What it pairs with
Goes wrong with: dishes that should not read sour.
Common in Indian, Thai, Mexican, Middle Eastern cooking.
Whole vs ground
Tamarind is sold as sticky blocks of pulp, as a ready paste, or as concentrate. Pulp is soaked and strained for the sourest, freshest flavor; paste is the quick option.
How to handle it
Soak a piece of pulp in warm water, then squeeze and strain out the seeds and fibers to get a tangy liquid. Stir it into stews, sauces, and chutneys.
Storage
Blocks of pulp keep for many months in a cool, dark place. Opened paste and concentrate keep refrigerated.
Buying note
Pulp blocks give the best flavor but need soaking and straining. Concentrate is strong and dark, so use less.
Classic dishes
pad thai, sambar, tamarind chutney, agua de tamarindo.
Out of tamarind? Substitutes
No substitute is exact. These are the closest by flavor behavior, with the ratio to start from and how the result will differ.
| Use instead | Ratio | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| lime juice with a little brown sugar | to taste | covers the sour-sweet balance, without tamarind's fruity depth |
One odd thing
Tamarind is one of the few sour flavorings that is also sweet, which is why it tastes more rounded than lemon or vinegar.