Serves 1-2
Tamarind is a fruit that has a sour taste. It can be found in many Central American, Caribbean, Asian, and Middle Eastern dishes and drinks. Tamarind grows on a tree within a brown pod similar to peanuts. The outer pod must be removed to extract the fruit inside. The fruit inside has natural fibers making it have a similar texture to dates. You may often buy tamarind at the market in Costa Rica wrapped in cellophane including parts of the hard pod and seeds. It is from tamarind paste that tamarind water is made. You can use tamarind water in your cooking or you can just drink it like you do juice. I hope you enjoy it!
Ingredients:
tamarind paste with pods (photo below)
water
Instructions:
Place tamarind paste in a bowl.
Heat one cup of water in an electric kettle or on the stove. Pour hot water into the bowl with tamarind. Let the water sit for 10-20 minutes.
Use your hand to separate the hard pods from the inside fruit.
Strain the mixture into a pitcher.
Take the leftover tamarind from the strainer and place it back in the bowl.
Heat one more cup of water and pour it into the bowl. Let the water sit for 10-20 minutes.
Once again, use your hand to separate the hard pods from the inside fruit.
Strain the mixture into the pitcher.
You will now have 2 cups of tamarind water. You can add honey and drink it or use it for other dishes. If drinking, I would recommend placing it in the refrigerator for a few hours.
Additional Information:
Tamarind can help boost your metabolism and help you lose weight. It reduces your cravings for unhealthy food, suppresses hunger, and even bulks up your stool. Tamarind is amazing for your digestive system and can prevent ulcers that appear in your stomach or intestine. It also aids in controlling inflammation. It has a crazy amount of vitamin C which will help boost your immune system. Next time pass on the orange juice and go straight for the tamarind water.
Tamarind is not all that common in the United States and can be difficult to find at your local grocery store. However, it is usually a common staple at your local Asian or Middle Eastern supermarkets. Here are a few healthy meal suggestions to incorporate tamarind into your diet: Pad Thai, curry, chutney, soup, salads, drinks, jam, peanut sauce, and marinades.
Tamarind has an interesting texture and can prove to be a bit messy. In the instructions above, I stated to use your hands to separate the fruit from the pods. Feel free to use a wooden spoon or spatula if you would like to spare your hands from becoming like a toddler's play dough session. However, note that separating the fruit from the pod will not be as effective.
Since tamarind is a bit sour when drinking tamarind water I like to add a sweetener. My go-to sweetener is always honey. However, feel free to use Stevia.
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