Tamarind Liquid

[Guest guest]

* Exported from MasterCook *

 

Tamarind Liquid

 

Recipe By :Real Vegetarian Thai - Nancie McDermott

Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00

Categories :

 

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

-------- ------------ --------------------------------

1/2 cup tamarind pulp

1 cup warm water

 

Thai cooks make frequent use of this liquid, pressed from the fruit of the

tamarind tree. Its flavor is fabulous, sharp and fruity, sweet and smoky, like

a marriage of raisins and limes. Tamarind trees are large. graceful hardwoods

that flourish throughout Thailand, but particularly in the northern and

northeast regions. Their trunks are cut crosswise into thick disks to provide

the standard cutting board for Thai kitchens. I remember bicycling to the

market early in the morning, under a canopy of their generous branches. My

neighbors' children often shouted greetings from on high, hidden from my view by

the tamarind tree's lacy leaves and the profusion of j-shaped beanlike pods

enclosing its tangy, sweet-sour fruit. You can use fresh ripe tamarind pods if

you can find them in the market, but the mahogany-colored 1=pound bricks of

tamarind pulp, minimally processed yo remove the tamarind's brittle peel and

many of its seeds, work just as well and taste great with less mes!

s. You handle both of them the same way.

Place the sticky, gooey tamarind pulp in a small bowl and add the warm water.

Let stand for 20 to 30 minutes. poking and mashing occasionally with your

fingers or a spoon to break the sticky lump into pieces and help it dissolve.

Pour the tamarind pulp and water through a fine-mesh sieve into another bowl.

Use your fingers or the back of a spoon to work the tamarind pulp well, pressing

the softened pulp against the sieve to extract as much thick brown liquid as you

can. Scrape the outside of the sieve often to capture the thick puree that

accumulates there. Discard the pulp, fibers, and seeds that have collected in

the sieve and thin the tamarind liquid with water as needed until it is about

the consistency of pea soup or softly whipped cream.

Use as directed in recipes or seal airtight and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

It sours and sharpens as it stands, so if it has stood for several days, taste

it and adjust the flavor with some sugar.

 

Yield:

" 1 cup "

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

Per serving: 143 Calories (kcal); trace Total Fat; (2% calories from fat); 2g

Protein; 38g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 24mg Sodium

Food Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 2 1/2 Fruit; 0 Fat; 0

Other Carbohydrates

 

 

Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0