Kia ora friends,
This week is episode three in my ‘Fearless with Flavour’ series. We’ve already talked all things spicy with Korean gochujang and episode 2 saw us get that umami hit with white miso, so this week I thought we’d look at an ingredient that brings more of the sweet and the sour to the flavour party.
Tamarind is a tree native to tropical Africa but widely grown in parts of Asia and Central America. While completely unrelated, its leaf architecture and pod-like seeds remarkably remind me of the Kōwhai tree native to Aotearoa, New Zealand, although the tamarind grows much larger and produces edible fruits, so their similarities are only superficial. I’ve never actually seen a tamarind tree up close - last year a friend in the Dominican Republic showed me around a park he thought had tamarind growing in it, but we had to settle for countless mango trees instead - how good!
The edible part of the tamarind is the sweet, tangy pulp contained in the pod-like legume fruit it produces. In countries where it is grown, you can buy the tamarind pods in their whole form, but in New Zealand and most western countries its most common form is tamarind paste, made from the pulp of the fruit and found in the International section of most supermarkets. Tamarind paste is one of my favourite condiments to have on hand in the kitchen. Its sweetness can be used to add balance to savoury dishes without adding sugar, and also makes it a crossover ingredient that goes well in sweet dishes. It has a delicious citrus-like zing which makes it perfect for adding a flavour lift to curries, dressings, sauces and the like. In fact it’s a staple ingredient in some of the most popular foods in the world: pad Thai, massaman curry and Worcestershire sauce all have tamarind to thank for their signature taste.
While the easiest way to source tamarind paste is by picking up a jar from your local, the cheapest and best way to get tamarind paste is actually by making your own at home - I know, it sounds a bit extra, but it’s worth it. Homemade tamarind paste is undoubtedly superior to the store-bought stuff - the flavour is better, it’s cheaper, and there’s no hidden preservatives. It’s also remarkably easy to make. It is made with tamarind pulp which can be purchased from most Asian food stores and some supermarkets. If you struggle to find it, then using regular store-bought paste is a fine alternative.
Homemade tamarind paste
Hands-on Time: 5 minutes // Total Time: 50 minutes // makes 400g tamarind paste
Ingredients:
400g tamarind pulp
400ml boiling water
Method:
First soak the tamarind pulp. Place the block of tamarind pulp in a medium-large bowl. Pour over the boiling water and using a spoon, break up the tamarind pulp a little - this will speed up the soaking process. Set aside for 40 minutes to soak.
Spoon half the soaked tamarind into a sieve placed over a large bowl. Using the back of a spoon, firmly push as much of the tamarind pulp through the sieve as you can, scraping the bottom of the sieve intermittently to release the sieved pulp into the bowl below. Continue until most of the pulp has been squeezed through the sieve, so only the tamarind fibres remain. Discard the tamarind fibres, and repeat with the remaining soaked tamarind, pressing the pulp through the sieve into the bowl. You will be left with a smooth and glossy tamarind paste.
To store, transfer the paste to a large jar and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks. Alternatively, freeze in ice cube trays, transfer the frozen tamarind cubes to a container and freeze for up to 6 months - defrost and use as needed.
A taste for tamarind
So the question is, how do we use tamarind in our everyday cooking? For some of you, tamarind paste may already be a regular in your repertoire, but for those of you who are new to team tamarind, this week I’m sharing some easy and delicious recipes to entice you to start using this superpower ingredient in your home kitchen.
Everyone loves a stir-fry, and tamarind brings a sweet & sour vibe to my recipe for Sticky tamarind tofu with lime curry noodles. Cubes of tofu are coated in cornflour, fried till crispy, then coated in a sticky glaze made with tamarind, soy sauce and maple syrup that’s pretty irresistible. Paired with a bed of Singapore-style noodles flavoured with fresh lime and curry powder, it’s easy weeknight cooking at its best.
Another excellent way to use tamarind paste is in salad dressings. Here’s a quick and easy peanut-tamarind dressing to throw together: in a bowl, whisk together 2 tbsp tamarind paste, 2 tbsp peanut butter, 3 tbsp toasted sesame oil, 3 tbsp rice wine vinegar, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp maple syrup, 1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger, 3 cloves garlic finely grated, ½ red chilli finely chopped, juice of 1 lemon and sea salt to taste.
I mentioned earlier that tamarind paste also goes well in desserts - next time you make a salted caramel I suggest you try adding 1 tbsp tamarind paste. It gives the caramel a deliciously fruity punch. With winter arriving in the Southern Hemisphere it means we’re heading into crumble season, and my plant-based recipe for Pineapple + tamarind crumble with peanuts + coconut is not to be missed. Tamarind lends itself well to tropical fruits, and it's delicious here as part of a pineapple and apple filling, topped with a crumble mixture made from peanut butter, thread coconut, cardamom and ginger.
Be sure to keep scrolling further as this week’s newsletter-exclusive Mood Booster recipe is quite possibly my pick of the week - I’m a sucker for a crunchy roast potato!
It’s been so awesome for me to see more and more people signing up to share in my fortnightly food ramblings. Thanks to everyone who’s spread the word to their friends and whānau - the more people who can share in the deliciousness the better! Stay tuned, some extra exciting news to share with you all in next fortnight’s edition.
Much love,
Alby xx
This week’s MOOD BOOSTER
Masala potatoes with tamarind yoghurt and best onion pickle
Tamarind is a common ingredient in Indian cooking, and this recipe is deeply rooted in Indian flavours. The potatoes are beautifully crunchy, thanks to being parboiled then thrown straight into hot oil and roasted at a high temperature. A highlight is the ‘best onion pickle’ which I suggest you make outside of this recipe for a quick flavour boost to any meal; it’s big on lime, chilli, mint and toasted spices.
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