Recipe To Prepare Tamarind At Home
Tamarind is a tropical fruit native to Africa. Currently, its cultivation has spread widely throughout Asia and America. Its consumption in Europe has become popular in recent years. The fruit of the tamarind is brown and is a legume, like lentils and chickpeas.
Inside its skin it has an acid pulp that can be slightly sweet depending on its state of maturity. This fruit is used in many recipes around the world, especially for dressings and drinks.
Nutritional properties of tamarind
According to data published in SELF Nutrition Data, among the main nutritional properties of tamarind is its high content of carbohydrates. In addition, it contains plant proteins made up of several amino acids, such as tryptophan, methionine and lysine.
It also provides soluble fibers, such as pectin, and vitamins A, B3 and C. As for the beneficial minerals present, we can find magnesium, calcium, potassium, iron and phosphorus.
Finally, as corroborated by a study published in Pharmacognosy Reviews , tamarind has a low fat content and serves as a laxative, antioxidant, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, among others.
Recipe to prepare tamarind water
This drink is very common in Mexican cuisine and allows you to take advantage of the benefits and nutrients mentioned in tamarind. It is a delicious soft drink that has a very special touch thanks to the acid flavor of this fruit.
Also, if you use sugar or stevia you will add a sweet taste that makes this interesting drink pleasing to anyone. Of course, avoid sugar if your nutritionist suggests it.
Ingredients
- 3/4 of cup of brown sugar or stevia (60 g)
- 1 cup of dried tamarinds (200 g)
- 2 liters of water
Preparation
- First, you have to peel the fruits to remove the bark from the pods.
- Once peeled, place the tamarind pods in a liter of boiling water so that they speak and begin to release the pulp.
- After keeping the tamarinds in the boiling water for about 15 or 20 minutes, remove the remains of the pods and let the juice that you have extracted cool.
- While it cools, place the softened pods in a mortar and mash them to finish extracting all the pulp.
- At this time it will be easy to remove the bones from the tamarind, since the pulp can be easily removed from the bone. Once removed, add the pulp to the water and stir well.
- Finally, pour the water with the pulp into a blender and add the sugar and the remaining liter of water.
- Beat the mixture well so that it is a homogeneous and well integrated result.
- This way you will have the tamarind water ready, which you can serve in glasses with lots of ice to finish watering it down or sweeten it to taste.
Tamarind sauce recipe
Another interesting recipe is to make a sauce that can be excellent for a squid or chicken dish. Its preparation is very simple.
Ingredients
- 1 clove of garlic (2 g)
- 1 chipotle pepper (4 g)
- 1/4 of red onion (50 g)
- 1 tablespoon of sugar (10 g)
- 1 pinch of salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil (30 g)
- 2 cups of tamarind pulp (200 g)
Note: tamarind pulp can be purchased prepackaged for ease of use. However, if you are looking for a more original personal touch, you can obtain this pulp from dried tamarinds. Just follow the same steps as in the tamarind water recipe.
Preparation
- Peel the tamarinds and add the pods to boiling water.
- Remove the softened pods after about 15 minutes and remove the bones from inside.
- Put the olive oil to heat.
- Add the minced garlic and onion, along with the tamarind pulp.
- After letting the pulp continue to soften for a few minutes, lower the heat to a minimum and add the slightly chopped chipotle chili, plus a touch of salt and pepper.
- Once all the ingredients have softened enough, place everything in the mixer.
- To finish the recipe, beat the mixture well until you get a homogeneous sauce.
- Let it cool to thicken before you can drink it.
Do you dare to try these simple recipes with tamarind? As you can see, it is a nutritious food that you can take advantage of in your kitchen. Buy it and enjoy its exotic flavor.
