You might have heard of tamarind; You’ve almost definitely tasted tamarind (it’s an ingredients in both East Asian cuisine and Worcestershire Sauce); but could you tell me what it is?
Firstly, tamarind, the spice, comes from a tamarind tree, which is native to Africa and can grow up to 24m tall. The tree’s fruit is a pod-like legume, like peas in a pod. But unlike garden peas, the dark brown seeds inside are not the source of tamarind spice. What’s harvested is the pulp surrounding the seeds inside the pod.
Tamarind trees are now naturalised in Asia, so are commonly used in East and South-East Asian cooking. Once aged, the flavour is like lemon or lime with an edge. Often used alongside ingredients like sugar and soy sauce, tamarind dishes hit all the notes of sweet, sour and umami.
Why not try tamarind in Sticky Chilli Marinade or Spicy Satay Honey Sauce? Or try it as the star of the show in the Great Taste Award winning Tamarind Ketchup. Use any of these as marinades or on noodles. You can even dollop Tamarind Ketchup on a sandwich!