“Tamarind adds its bewitching sharp-and-tangy tones to cuisines across the world; it’s a magical ingredient that has the power to cure, quench, and make our mouths pucker (in the best way possible),” says Indonesian Australian chef and food writer Lara Lee of the beloved tropical fruit. Indeed, much like lemon and lime, tangy tamarind offers contrast, complexity, and brightness to sweet and savory dishes alike. There’s good reason spice company McCormick’s named tamarind the 2024 flavor of the year. Here’s what you should know about this powerhouse ingredient.
What is tamarind?
Tamarind is a fruit grown as pods on trees in tropical regions around the world. The pods start out as a pale green color, then ripen into a reddish-brown, then a deep brown color.
What does tamarind taste like?
Tamarind is known and loved for its tangy, sweet-sour flavor, with elements of acidity that can add a welcome sharpness. Its bold flavors make it an excellent partner for lending complexity to both sweet and savory dishes.
How do you use tamarind?
You can find tamarind in various forms, shelf-stable and refrigerated or frozen, in Asian markets or online. Here’s what you’ll find and how to use it.
Pods
Whole tamarind pods are categorized depending on the stage at which they were harvested. Sour tamarind, or green, unripe tamarind, is the most tart and acidic. Ripe tamarind is brown, with a pleasantly strong sour taste. Sweet tamarind can be eaten straight from the pod. Source fresh pods at some major supermarkets, Asian and Indian grocers, and online.
Dried tamarind pulp is sold in bricks that contain the membrane and seeds from tamarind pods. Once tamarind pulp has come into contact with air, it oxidizes, which is why these blocks are often medium to deep brown, or even black, in color.
Paste
Tamarind paste is seedless, made from the flesh of tamarind that has been diluted with water, making it easy to integrate into dishes. Good-quality pastes should only contain tamarind, water, and (sometimes) a preservative, but no artificial sweeteners or corn syrup. Our testers liked Somboon brand tamarind paste, which comes in bricks.
Concentrate
Tamarind concentrates are thick and black with a molasses-like consistency. The intense flavor of tamarind concentrate gives oomph to the marinade for Tamarind Chicken and enlivens the caramel in Tamarind Millionaire’s Shortbread. Concentrates may also be diluted to a flavor similar to tamarind water, if desired, by mixing them with water. Look for Tamicon brand.
Frozen
There is also frozen unsweetened tamarind, which can have a weaker potency, so you may need to add more to taste. Thinner and less intensely flavored than other forms, it can be simply defrosted and used as needed.
Powder
Finally, there’s tamarind powder, made from dehydrated and ground tamarind. This pungent, highly concentrated form of tamarind can be used to flavor candies, drinks, and sauces where a recipe calls for it, but it cannot be substituted for the paste, concentrate, pods, or pulp.
How do I cook with tamarind?
Often used in the form of frozen pulp, concentrate, or paste, tamarind is an easy way to add interest to cocktails (Tamarind Whiskey Sour, anyone?), poultry (Balinese Grilled Chicken!), decadent desserts (hello, Tamarind Millionaire’s Shortbread), and more. If tamarind is not already a pantry staple at your house, try any of these tantalizing tamarind recipes and we’re sure it soon will be.
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Tamarind Chicken
This versatile recipe is a bit of a choose-your-own-adventure. First, combine tangy tamarind and smoky chipotle paste with garlic, cilantro, and paprika and marinate a whole chicken for as little as five minutes, or up to 12 hours. Then, either grill the bird for a caramelized char, or roast it in the oven for cleaner, more lively sour and spicy flavors.
M’hasha (Sweet-and-Sour Stuffed Vegetables)
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
Yellow onions, beets, zucchini, red bell peppers, and grape leaves are stuffed with almond- and herb-flecked rice and baked in a tangy tomato-tamarind sauce for this cozy vegetarian Middle Eastern main.
Tamarind Jelly Candies
Pasty chef Paola Velez crafts colorful pâte de fruit with tamarind pulp, fresh lime juice, and liquid pectin, coating the jiggly cooked jellies with fruity and tangy flavored sugars.
Chickpea Doubles with Tamarind and Scotch Bonnet Pepper Sauce
2019 F&W Best New Chef Kwame Onwuachi’s take on traditional Trinidadian doubles showcases curried chickpeas atop a turmeric-laced, fried flatbread called bara. It’s served with two sauces to layer on even more flavor: tamarind sauce and Scotch bonnet pepper sauce.
Pineapple and Tamarind Cooler
Jose Mandojana
This sweet-tart nonalcoholic punch delivers a little kick of heat thanks to the mix of habanero powder and salt that rims each glass. Chef Gregory Gourdet uses tamarind pulp to make a fruity, sour syrup that helps balance the tropical sweetness of the pureed pineapple. Serve it over plenty of ice for an instant refresher.
Timorese Fish-and-Tamarind Soup
Called ikan kuah asam in Indonesia, or fish in a sour broth, this lively soup marries the warmth of chile and ginger with the tang of tomatoes and tamarind, plus citrusy makrut lime leaves and lemongrass, for a fragrant broth to poach flaky white fish.
Tamarind-Chile Jam
“Move over tomato ketchup, barbecue sauce, and mayonnaise,” says cookbook author and recipe developer Lara Lee. “There’s a new condiment-that-goes-with-everything in town!” At once sweet, spicy, sour, and pungent, the jam cooks up in one pot and has endless uses.
Tamarind-Mezcal Sour
Smoky mezcal and dry, delicate manzanilla sherry make for a perfect pair in this citrus-forward sour. Tamarind-citrus syrup adds an unexpected tart, sweet element to the bright yellow cocktail.
Tuna Tartare with Coconut and Jerk Peanuts
Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christine Keely
This bright, lively tuna appetizer from Nina Compton is dressed in a tangy sauce that melds the bold flavors of fish sauce, tamarind, and coconut. Jerk-seasoned roasted peanuts add a subtle warmth and crunchy contrast.
Tamarind Whiskey Sour
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Liberty Fennell
James Beard Award-winning chef Andy Ricker brings us a whiskey sour reimagined with tamarind paste, a humble addition that lends a welcome sour complexity to the drink.
Balinese Grilled Chicken
On a surfing trip to Indonesia, Pete Evans tried a version of this chicken roasted over an open fire. The turmeric, chiles, tamarind, and ginger in the marinade are popular flavors in Indonesian cooking, imparting the chicken with a golden glow and bright flavor.
Tamarind Millionaire’s Shortbread
“Tamarind concentrate adds a gloriously sharp acidic profile to balance the decadent caramel layer of this version of the afternoon treat, topped with the bittersweetness of dark chocolate and a coconut-y shortbread biscuit base,” says Lara Lee.
Grilled Snapper in Coconut Sauce
From the islands of Zanzibar, where it’s called samaki wa kupaka, is this dish of chile-marinated red snapper that’s charred on the grill and served in a pool of creamy coconut-tamarind sauce with coconut rice.
Massaman Curry
Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
A mashup of Persian and Thai flavors, this creamy, warmly spiced curry is often reserved for special occasions. A couple tablespoons of tamarind paste perk up the savory coconut base with a fruity tang, permeating tender chunks of potatoes, carrots, onions, and beef.
Tamarind Beef
Chef Chris Yeo tenderizes cubes of beef tenderloin by marinating them in a sesame oil blend, then enhances their flavor by searing them in shallot-infused oil. The crispy shallots, fried earlier in the same oil, make a delicious garnish, while tangy tamarind sauce finishes the dish.
Steamed Sea Bass with Tamarind Sauce
Chef Jean-George Vongerichten serves this steamed fish in a pool of tamarind-based sauce that’s perfumed with toasted spices, coconut milk, peanuts, ginger, and harissa.
Honey-Tamarind Baby Back Ribs
Tart tamarind concentrate tempers the sweetness of the honey in the barbecue sauce that coats these luscious ribs, which can be either roasted or grilled. We like to serve them with a crisp Asian-inspired coleslaw.
Slow-Roasted Salmon with Tamarind, Ginger, and Chipotle
Grind toasted chipotle chiles with cloves, cumin seeds, and black peppercorns, then add to a fragrant combo of garlic, shallots, and ginger on the stovetop. Stir in tamarind puree and maple syrup to form a paste, then slather it onto both sides of the salmon before it’s slow-roasted.
Caramelized Red Onion Rice with Tamarind
Meera Sodha’s show-stealing side features basmati rice with toasted sesame seeds, curry leaves, cumin-scented caramelized red onions, and sweet-sour tamarind paste, all heightened with a pinch of cayenne pepper.
Crisp Noodle Pancake with Tamarind-Glazed Chicken
Chef Sang Yoon glazes succulent chicken thighs with an aromatic sauce made from chicken stock, tamarind pulp, Chinese black vinegar, garlic, ginger, chile, and honey. Serve the meat over a pan-seared cake of thin Chinese egg noodles to complete the dish.
