How to Make Tamarind Paste from Pulp
Why You Should Never Buy Tamarind Paste Again
If you've been buying ready-made tamarind paste or tamarind concentrate for cooking, like I used to, let me tell you why I stopped and what I do now. Growing up in Thailand we always made our own tamarind paste for cooking, but when I arrived in Canada I was delighted by the convenient jars from the store!
But after years of using it, I don't know if the products became worse or my standards became higher, but I eventually I became more and more dissatisfied with the quality of premade pastes.
They sometimes started to taste really bland and diluted to me. And while this isn't the case with all brands, all the time, it was inconsistent enough, even within the same brand, to warrant another solution.
Why Making it Is the Way to Go
So I started making it from tamarind pulp, the traditional way, and found the result to be more flavourful, more sour, and also more consistent. Tamarind pulp is that dark brown brick labelled simply as "Tamarind." You can find it at many Asian grocery stores, and it also usually says "seedless" on the package.
The good news is that it also keeps very well. But to make it last, you have to cook it, and then store it in a well-sealing jar such as mason jars. I now make tamarind using half a pound of pulp per batch, and I only have to make it about twice a year.
How long does homemade tamarind paste last?
If you cook the paste and store it in a mason jar as per my instructions, it will last up to 6 months, unopened in the fridge. Once it's opened, it has lasted me at least 2 months, but you have to be sure to always use clean utensils to scoop from the jar, and always put it back promptly in the fridge.
Because of this, I recommend you putting it in small jars, no larger than 1 cup per jar, to maximize its shelf life.
You can also can the tamarind, like you would jam and other canned products, and it will be shelf-stable. Though I have not personally done this.
What is tamarind?
Simply put, tamarind is a fruit. Its sticky brown flesh ranges from being very sweet to very sour, depending on the variety. The sweet ones are for eating fresh, and the sour ones are for turning into a paste for cooking.
For everything you need to know about tamarind, check out my Ultimate Guide to Tamarind video . I also show you what tamarind looks like in its original pod!
Want to learn more about other Thai ingredients ?
Check out my Thai Ingredient Playlist on YouTube where I have informational videos about the most important ingredients in Thai cuisine.
Recipes with Tamarind
Now that you've got delicious homemade tamarind paste, try using it in these recipes!
Homemade Tamarind Paste
Instructions
- Use your hands to pull apart the tamarind block into small chunks and place it in a large, heat-proof mixing bowl. Pour the hot water over the tamarind and let it sit until it’s cool enough for you to handle, about 20 minutes, though you can let it sit for as long as you need at this point—the longer it sits, the easier the next step will be.½ lb seedless tamarind pulp (see note), 2 cups hot water
- Use your hand, preferably gloved if you don’t want tamarind stuck in your nails, to squeeze and scrunch the pulp to loosen it from the fibers. You should end up with something that has a consistency of a smoothie.
- Once you can feel that most of the pulp has been released from the fibers, strain the tamarind mixture, into a pot through a sieve or a colander, preferably not fine-mesh, as the paste will be thick. Push as much of the liquid through as possible, and scrape the bottom of the sieve occasionally.
- Gradually pour about ½ cup of room temperature water over the remaining fibers in the sieve while using your hand to mix it around. This will rinse off any last little bit of tamarind still stuck in the fibers.
- You can use this right away for cooking, but for storage, cook the tamarind paste over medium high-heat until it boils, stirring constantly, as it is quite thick and can bubble and jump at you if you don’t stir. Allow it to bubble for 4-5 minutes to ensure that it is thoroughly heated through before turning off the heat.
- Transfer the hot tamarind paste to clean, small mason jars, no larger than 1 cup capacity. I like using the smaller ones so each jar will not be open for as long. Close the lids while still hot and and allow it to cool at room temperature before moving them to the fridge for storage. As it cools the lids will be sucked in and it will seal very well, like jam, but since this was not properly canned, you still need to store them in the fridge. You can also freeze them in ice cube trays and store the cubes in freezer bags.
Video
Notes
The post How to Make Tamarind Paste from Pulp appeared first on Hot Thai Kitchen.
