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Tamarind

Fruits · Tropical fruit

Tamarind

Sour-sweet pulp from brown tamarind pods; soaked and strained to sour curries, sambar, chutneys and drinks.

Also called: tamarind paste, imli, tamarindo, asam jawa, sampalok

80 recipes with it

Read the full spice guide: flavour, history and how to use it

Photo: Jungle Rebel, via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA-3.0)

What it is

Tamarind comes from long, brittle brown pods filled with sticky, dark-brown pulp around hard seeds. It is sold as whole pods, pressed blocks of pulp (with seeds and fibres), or ready concentrate. The pulp is soaked in hot water and strained. Its fruity, date-like sourness differs from the sharp acidity of lime or vinegar.

Tamarindus indica

How it’s used

  • Sours South Indian sambar and rasam
  • Base for tamarind chutney (imli) for chaat
  • Used in pad thai, Thai sour curries and Indonesian sayur asem
  • Made into drinks such as agua de tamarindo

Characteristics

Taste
Tart, sweet and fruity.
Texture
Sticky, fibrous pulp.
When cooked
Soak a walnut-sized lump in hot water, squeeze and strain. Concentrate is much stronger, so use less.
Sold as
paste, dried, liquid
Cooking uses
Mainly a seasoning, Commonly cooked

Kinds in our pantry

Storage

Pantry-stable. Blocks keep for months in a cool, dry cupboard well wrapped; refrigerate opened concentrate and strained pulp.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
239 kcal
Protein
2.8 g
Carbohydrate
62.5 g
Fat
0.6 g
Fibre
5.1 g
Sugars
38.8 g

USDA FoodData Central: Tamarinds, raw.

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

Related ingredients

Recipes with tamarind

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