What is tamarind paste, and how is it used?
Tamarind paste is made from a sour, dark, sticky fruit that grows in a pod on a tamarind tree. While some cuisines use tamarind paste to make desserts and even candy, in Thai cooking it is used mostly in savory dishes. Classic pad Thai is made with tamarind, as are some Thai curries and seafood dishes.
How to make tamarind paste?
How to make homemade tamarind paste with step by step pictures: Break the tamarind block into small chunks. If there are any seeds discard them. Place these tamarind chunks/pieces into a cooker separator add 1 cup of water. Close the separator with a lid. Add water to the cooker and place the separator.
How to use tamarind powder?
What forms does tamarind come in and how is it used?
- Unripe green fresh fruit: Super tart and sour, it’s chopped for pickles and chutneys without being seeded.
- Brown ripened fruit or pulp: Tamarind comes in whole pods but is also commonly sold in Asian shops as blocks. ...
- Paste, concentrate, or extract: Ripe fruit in a more user-friendly form, these can be bought from the store or made at home. ...
How to make tamarind juice from concentrate?
What is the process for making tamarind concentrate?
- Tamarind should be cleaned.
- 3 cups boiling water
- In a large dish, soak tamarind for 45 to 60 minutes in 1.5 to 2 cups boiling water.
- If your tamarind is in good shape, puree it until smooth.
- Mash the tamarind as much as possible, then strain into a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan (no wide pan).
Can I use tamarind paste instead of puree?
The only difference between the two is that puree has a little more liquid. You should add more puree than the recipe calls for paste to compensate for it being more dilute.Aug 22, 2016
How do you make tamarind paste into puree?
DirectionsCombine tamarind and hot water. Let stand 1 hour; then using your fingers or a fork, break tamarind into small pieces while it is still in the water. Let tamarind soak an additional 3 hours.Press tamarind mixture through a sieve, reserving liquid; discard seeds and fibers.
What is tamarind puree substitute?
If your recipe calls for 1 tablespoon tamarind paste, substitute with 1 tablespoon vinegar mixed with 1 tablespoon brown sugar. If using fresh lime juice, substitute 2 tablespoons lime juice for every 1 tablespoon tamarind paste. Both substitutes work best when the amount of tamarind paste is 2 tablespoons or less.Jul 19, 2021
Can I use tamarind paste instead of tamarind?
Using Tamarind In most uses, the difference between tamarind pulp and tamarind paste is small. Tamarind paste is more convenient because it can be added directly to dishes, saving both time and effort. Some argue that freshly soaked tamarind pulp has a better, fresher flavor, but most cooks see little difference.
Is tamarind paste and sauce the same thing?
It's easy to confuse tamarind sauce with tamarind paste, but the two are not the same. The paste is often the ingredient in tamarind sauce that gives it its tang. Tamarind paste is the mashed pulp of the tamarind tree's fruit. You can buy it jarred and add it to dipping sauces, marinades and meals like vegan pad Thai.
Can I use tamarind sauce instead of paste?
Tamarind sauce, also known as tamarind concentrate, can be a substitute for tamarind paste. You just have to do a 1:2 ratio of tamarind concentrate to water. So for every teaspoon of concentrate you use, you should add two teaspoons of water.Oct 17, 2021
What can I use if I don't have tamarind paste?
Best Substitutes for Tamarind PastePomegranate Molasses. If you are using tamarind paste for its acidity and sour flavor, pomegranate molasses is the best alternative. ... Rice Vinegar. The next best substitute to use is rice vinegar. ... Mango Chutney. ... Lime Juice.Mar 16, 2020
What's in tamarind paste?
What is tamarind paste? Tamarind paste is a concentrated and sometimes cooked down paste made of tamarind fruit. For this recipe, tamarind paste is made by soaking fresh tamarind flesh with boiling water, straining it through a filter, and then cooking it down to produce a concentrated tangy flavor.Mar 12, 2021
What is tamarind paste used for?
It is often added to marinades to soften thick cuts of beef before they are cooked. It's also why tamarind is a primary ingredient of Worcestershire sauce. Tamarind is a staple of Indian curries and spicy dishes, where it is often paired with coconut milk to reduce its sour taste.Sep 29, 2021
How much tamarind concentrate is equivalent to tamarind puree?
You can use it in roughly equal parts to the paste you would create from a tamarind block as described above. One tablespoon of this stuff is about equal to 1.5 tablespoons of the homemade soaked and strained tamarind paste.Jul 13, 2017
Is tamarind paste the same as tamarind chutney?
Tamarind chutney uses tamarind paste as its primary ingredient. The paste can be made by hand, using the fruit, or it can be purchased in Indian or Thai specialty stores or gourmet food stores. Chutneys often have fruits and spices. The chutney itself is often made fresh, though it can be found pre-made.Mar 19, 2022
Tamarind Paste VS Tamarind Concentrate
A hardwood fruit tree native to Africa, the tamarind tree now grows throughout Asia and Mexico. The tree yields large brown pods that contain the tamarind fruit.
Tamarind paste vs concentrate
The main difference between tamarind paste and concentrate is that the paste usually tastes much stronger, and comes directly from the fruit. The tamarind fruit sports a date-like texture and yields a tamarind paste, or a very diluted concentrate when crushed.
Can you substitute tamarind paste for concentrate ?
Yes, you can substitute tamarind paste for concentrate, or the other way around. Tamarind concentrate and paste are readily available in most markets, especially Asian stores. You can always use them as a substitute for each other if one isn’t available. Sometimes, regular tamarind paste is also labeled as a concentrate.
Is tamarind paste the same as tamarind pulp?
The fruit of tamarind contains a lot of seeds and pith. A specific type of tamarind product sold in the form of blocks is generally called tamarind pulp. The pulp is prepared from the whole fruits after they are skinned.
Using tamarind paste and concentrate
Whether concentrate or paste, tamarind is quite easy to use straight from the jar or tube. Because of the unique sour taste, you will need some sugar or another sweetener in most recipes you make with tamarind. The fact that tamarind brings out a amazing sweet and sour yet subtle flavor to a dish makes it quite popular as an ingredient.
About Tamarind
The tamarind is native to East Africa, but its virtues as a shade tree and food ingredient have helped it spread throughout the world's tropical regions. The fruit grows in the shape of long, leathery pods that resemble beans. As they ripen and mature, the outer skin becomes a hard, brittle shell and the pulp inside dries to a brown, sticky pulp.
Using Tamarind Pulp
Tamarind pulp usually is sold in the form of a small shrink-wrapped package, compressed and very dense. To use it in a recipe, cut off a piece from your block of pulp and place it in a measuring cup or mixing bowl. Cover the pulp with boiling water and let it sit for at least five minutes, stirring occasionally.
Using Tamarind Paste
Tamarind paste is a convenience product, very similar in its way to the garlic or herb pastes sold in the produce section of your supermarket. Tamarind paste is tamarind pulp with the seeds and fibers removed, just as you would at home. It is packed in glass jars, or occasionally placed in plastic squeeze tubes like toothpaste.
Using Tamarind
In most uses, the difference between tamarind pulp and tamarind paste is small. Tamarind paste is more convenient because it can be added directly to dishes, saving both time and effort. Some argue that freshly soaked tamarind pulp has a better, fresher flavor, but most cooks see little difference.
What Is Tamarind?
Pardon, since tamarind is the cornerstone of both ingredients, we had to touch it a little, so you have a vivid picture of each of these ingredients.
What Is Tamarind Paste?
Tamarind Paste is tamarind fruit softened, squeezed, and boiled into a paste for seasoning for meat, chutney, curry dishes, and pickled fish.
What Is Tamarind Pulp?
Tamarind pulp is like the end product you see before the boiling, straining, and picking off the seeds to get the sticky paste.
Tamarind Pulp Vs Paste: How Are They Different?
It is a no-brainer that both are absolutely the same; the only thing different is in their packaging.
Conclusion
In summary, if there is one thing I’m certain about tamarind pulp vs paste is both can be used interchangeably in a wide variety of dishes in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and also in India.
What Are Red Pepper Flakes?
Red pepper flakes, also known as crushed red pepper, is a condiment or spice made of various dried, crushed red chilies pepper.
Crushed Red Pepper Vs Cayenne: Is One Hotter Than The Other?
In terms of their fire, Cayenne pepper takes the win here. It is much hotter than regular crushed red pepper in the supermarket.
Top-saved Tamarind Paste Substitutes From Familiar Ingredients
Here are the top 12 substitutions for tamarind paste that you can easily buy or make at home. However, some of them cannot taste the same as tamarind paste, but they still work fine in a pinch.
The Emergence Of Tamarind Paste To Culinary World
The versatility of tamarind paste in cooking is undoubted. But first, let me briefly introduce how tamarind paste is made and other interesting information about using them.
Tamarind Paste Substitutes Ratio Chart
Don’t jump into the details of tamarind substitutes without taking a quick look at their ratio. Besides following this chart, you should taste your dishes regularly to ensure the flavor meets your senses.
What Ingredients Can I Use To Substitute Tamarind Paste?
The main section of this post is about the substitutions of tamarind paste as it is not very easy to spot them in the supermarket sometimes. With the tangy and sour flavor from tamarind, tamarind paste can be replaced by 12 alternatives such as:
Storing Tips For Tamarind Paste
Use jars or food containers to store tamarind paste. You should place them in a cool and dry place; that’s why it is highly recommended to keep them in the refrigerator for the best flavor and freshness.
Some Amazing Cooking Recipes With Tamarind Paste Or Its Substitutes
Here are some spectacular ideas to turn your tamarind paste into several tasty dishes that you just want to make over and over again.
Health Benefits Of Tamarind
There are several health benefits of tamarind. Below information is some highlight of what advantages that you could have from consuming tamarind.
What are the best alternatives to tamarind paste?
To replace tamarind paste in a recipe, the best option is to combine Worcestershire sauce with water, lemon juice, brown sugar, and tomato paste. You can also try using pomegranate molasses, or a mixture of lime juice and brown sugar.
Frequently asked questions
Tamarind paste and concentrate have similar flavors but the concentrate has a less fruity undertone and a more intense color. In general, using a lesser amount of concentrate will allow you to substitute concentrate for paste.
Conclusion
Finding an exact substitute for tamarind paste is a challenge; the paste has a unique flavor that’s both sweet and tart at the same time. It's usually combined with other ingredients so you can often get away with using an alternative.
1. Pomegranate Molasses
If you can find it, pomegranate molasses is an excellent tamarind paste substitute. You get pomegranate molasses by reducing pomegranate juice until it’s thick and sticky. It tastes both sweet and sour when done, much like tamarind paste, with a bitter undertone that makes it a great option for Indian and Asian dishes.
2. Lime Juice and Brown Sugar
This substitute is appealing as you can find it at any grocery store or even have it on hand. However, it doesn’t give quite the complexity of flavor that other options do. Still, since many recipes don’t call for much tamarind paste, most don’t notice a difference.
3. Worcestershire Mixture
Because tamarind paste is good as tenderizing meat, some Worcestershire brands actually use tamarind paste, making this a good start for a tamarind paste substitute. To get the full complexity of tamarind paste, you will need to add quite a few ingredients together. Still, they’re all fairly basic and should have them on hand.
4. Rice Vinegar
Rice vinegar has both the sourness and the underlying sweetness that you find in tamarind paste. The only problem is the thickness. If you’re not worried about your sauce being a touch runnier than normal, just use it in a 1:1 ratio. If you want the consistency of tamarind paste, then use cornstarch to thicken it up.
5. Mango Chutney
Mango chutney is an excellent tamarind substitute as it’s relatively thick and tastes very similar to tamarind paste if you buy the right kind. If you find your mango chutney too sweet, add in some lime or lemon juice to cut the sugary taste.
