While tamarind paste has been available in Asian markets for a long time, it's exciting to see fresh tamarinds popping up more frequently in produce sections. The woody outer pods are brittle and don't travel well, so the offerings in grocery stores usually aren't very pretty. Even if the pods are broken, what you want to look for is mahogany-colored flesh that doesn't look pale or dried out. Also, check the outer shell for tiny holes (see below), as bugs are fond of laying eggs in tamarind pods. The flavor of tamarind is similar to a dried apricot, but more tart. Once the meat has been removed from the pods and stripped of its veins, it can be boiled, seeded, sweetened with sugar, and diluted for a great cold drink. Tamarinds are also a key ingredient in pad Thai recipes. Alton Brown recently made a good version of it, similar to the Cook's Illustrated version I usually make. Boiling, mashing and straining three or four large tamarinds usually works for the ounce or two of tamarind paste that the recipes call for.
[Photos: Nick Vagnoni]
If you find a tamarind with a tiny pinhole like this one, it usually means that someone has gotten to it before you. Avoid these unless you want a little added protein in your diet.
4-13-2006 @11:13AM WallyB said... I first tried Tamarinds while vacationing on St. Kitts in the Carribean. We had a picnic snack made by locals that had fresh tamarind seeds & meat rolle in sugar crystals. It had the flavor of sweet tea & fruit. Delicious. I've been a huge fan ever since. I've recently found them in the local grocery store in the "Latin American food" section.
Yum.
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4-13-2006 @3:22PM Pim said... These sweet tamarinds "Makahm Wan" are different from the tamarinds sold in blocks for cooking, "Makahm Piak", actually. These are for eating off hand and not for cooking. They don't have the strong acidity and complexity in the Mahahm Piak, and are easily washed out by the flavors of other ingredients.
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4-13-2006 @4:19PM Nick said... When I first started experimenting with pad Thai recipes at home, the only tamarinds I had access to were ones like these, as they were what grew on the tree in my yard. I've since made pad Thai with blocks of tamarind pulp and had equally good experiences with both. I think I tend to use larger amounts of the fresh pods, so maybe that's why I've had similar experiences.
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11-15-2006 @8:13AM Alex said... I like Tamarind
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