Tamarind Water
(Refresco De Tamarindo)
Tamarind is the fruit of a tall tropical tree, a fava beannshaped pod filled with a fruity, orange-brown, sweet-sour pulp. The fruit takes its name from the Arabic words tamr hindi, literally "Indian date." Actually, tamarind tastes more like prune than date-prune mixed with lime juice and a drop of liquid smoke.
This distinctive sweet-sour flavor has endeared tamarind to cooks all along the world’s barbecue trail, from Asia to the Caribbean. You’ve probably tasted it, for tamarind is a key flavoring in Worcestershire sauce and A-1 steak sauce.
You can buy fresh tamarind pods in Caribbean and Asian markets. (Look for fleshy, heavy pods with cracked skins that reveal the sticky brown pulp inside; tamarind with unbroken skins is underripe.) Peeling fresh tamarind is time consuming, so most ethnic markets and many supermarkets sell peeled tamarind pulp, which is quicker and easier to use.
Stringy and full of seeds, tamarind is rarely used in its natural state. The first step is to transform the sticky flesh into tamarind water, also known as tamarind purée. This is done by puréeing the pulp from peeled tamarind pods with boiling water.
Store in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for several months.
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INGREDIENTS: 1/2 pound tamarind, shelled, deveined 1 cup water, boiling hot 2 cups water,cold 1 cup sugar (natural sugar substitute: 1/4 cup agave nectar)
DIRECTIONS:
BUEN PROVECHO! |
