15 Recipes That Use Tamarind (2024)

FAQs

What food is tamarind used in? ›

Many fusion recipes lean on tamarind as a marinade for meats and fishes because the tartaric acid in the ingredient is a powerful tenderizer. Indian cuisine uses tamarind in chutneys, curries and pickles. Tamarind is also turned into different types of sweet syrups that flavors sodas, co*cktails and iced teas.

Uses for Tamarind

One of the most popular ways to use this fruit is in Agua de Tamarindo (Tamarind Drink). This Mexican agua fresca (or “fresh water” in English) is a sweet and sour drink similar to an earthy lemonade.

Value added products of tamarind are pulp, tamarind juice concentrate, tamarind pulp powder, tamarind pickle, tamarind jam, tamarind syrup, tamarind candy, tamarind kernel powder, dried fruit block, tamarind chutney and beverages.

Tamarind paste pairs well with savory flavors such as garlic, peanut, and soy sauce as well as sweet flavors such as pomegranate, orange, and lemon in marinades. For white meat such as chicken, mixing tamarind paste with other citrus fruits makes for delicious grilled meat.

Tamarind has played an important role in traditional medicine. In beverage form, it was commonly used to treat diarrhea, constipation, fever, and malaria. The bark and leaves were also used to promote wound healing (1). Modern researchers are now studying this plant for potential medicinal uses.

Tamarind is a great way to tenderize meat because of its high acidity, which breaks down tougher cuts. Use it in marinades for tender meat and a hint of sour flavor.

The use of the fruits as a laxative is found from Senegal in the west through Sudan in the east and in the same range, fruits are used to treat fever and malaria (see Section 4.6). Leaves and bark are used everywhere in central West Africa for wound healing, whereas only bark is used to treat diarrhoea.

Tamarind candy is so good because of its unique flavor combination. It has the perfect combination of salt and spice. The unique flavor stimulates your taste buds and is truly a delight to eat. In addition, tamarind candies are layered with other fruit flavors like mango or watermelon.

When tamarind is used during cooking, jaggery is added to it, due to which it maintains the pH balance of the body. There are many benefits of jaggery.

What are the disadvantages of tamarind? ›

Tamarind may cause gas or bloating in some individuals, as it contains certain natural sugars and fiber that can ferment in the digestive tract, leading to gas production. If you are sensitive to these effects, it's best to consume tamarind in moderation.

Tamarind is considered good for constipation due to its laxative property. It helps to boost immunity as it is rich in vitamin C and antioxidants, making it useful in managing common cold. Tamarind powder might also help to manage blood sugar as well as insulin levels and is thus considered good for diabetic patients.

Drink turmeric!

Made of a combination of Turmeric, tamarind, flavored with sugar (or honey) with a pinch of salt, this turmeric delight should be drunk fresh. Pour this turmeric drink over ice, even combine the turmeric with milk and a little coconut oil, and it's a refreshing, turmeric-filled afternoon.

Why is salt kept near tamarind in the olden days? For this practice, about 10 gm of salt was used for per kg of tamarind. By this way of storage, storage pests like beetles and Indian meal moth (Plodia cautella) were prevented.

Tamarind has a unique, sweet-sour flavour that makes it popular in sweet and savoury dishes alike. Its flavour has been compared to tangy lemon or lime balanced by sweet caramel notes, or a cross between lemon, apricot and dates. Some varieties of tamarind are sweeter than others, and all become sweeter as they ripen.

Tamarind is a fruit, specifically a leguminous tree fruit, known for its sweet and tangy pulp. It's often used in various culinary applications and not considered a vegetable.