TAMARIND PASTE
At first, I found the process of making tamarind paste to be messy and time-consuming, so I used to buy the bottled version from the Indian grocery store. But now, I have found a way to simplify the process and freeze it, so each batch I make lasts me months!
Tamarind Paste
Cooking Time: Approximately 45 minutes
Ingredients:
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1 package of dried tamarind (17.6 oz.)
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6 cups water
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Optional:
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1 tablespoon olive oil
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1 teaspoon turmeric
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Directions:
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Add 4 cups water to dried tamarind in a medium pot and bring to a boil over high heat.
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After 10 minutes, remove from heat and cool.
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Squeeze the pulp through a sieve, discarding the seeds as you go. Transfer the tamarind chunks left in the sieve back to the pot.
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Add 2 more cups water to the pot and bring to a boil again for 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
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Squeeze cooled tamarind mixture through the sieve once again. Discard the remaining pulp.
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Optionally, you can return the tamarind paste to the pot and cook with olive oil and turmeric to better preserve the paste.
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Transfer the cooled tamarind paste to a glass bottle for storage in the refrigerator (up to 1 month) and freezer-safe containers for storage in your freezer (up to 6 months).