Tamarind Balls

Tamarinds balls are a Caribbean delicacy, these sweet and sour bitesize treats are made using only 3 ingredients. You simply roll fresh tamarind pulp into balls then dust them with sugar.

Tamarind is that sweet and sour fruit that people either love or hate.

I love the sweet and sour combination of this tropical fruit so much that I'm elated to be sharing this Caribbean sweet snack

These balls are super easy to make and so more-ish too

The definition

A sweet treat made from the tamarind fruit which grows in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean.

If you have been following me for some time now you will have seen this fruit appear in this Tamarind Chicken dinner or popular Tamarind Juice recipe.

The fruit is de-shelled, then moulded into a large ball with the seeds still intact. Some people add either rum, black pepper, sauce and sugar for additional flavouring.

The mixture is broken off into small balls and finally rolled in sugar before being ready to eat.

I know too well that tamarind balls are a sought after island confectionery which is why I felt the need to make a more healthier version.

If it is your first time visiting my website, you may want to head over to this page entitled Caribbean foodie:101 to learn how about why I modify Caribbean recipes.

Tamarind uses

• Juice
• Candy
• Chutney
• Tea

Ingredients you need

• Tamarind pods: you can purchase a box from most Caribbean/Asian or Latino stores.
• Sweetener: You whatever sweetener you want for adding to the tamarind and dusting the balls
• Alcohol free rum flavouring: This is optional, you can leave out the rum flavouring if you want to make it child friendly

Sugar to use for dusting

Traditionally tamarind balls are rolled and then dusted with white sugar. I find coconut sugar tends to clump together when it's used for dusting.

The balls work best with a granulated sugar but again you can make the balls without dusting them just add keep them refrigerated or store somewhere cool so they're not too sticky.

I used Sukrin Gold and stevia which is a great sugar alternative, it's zero calorie and yields that traditional granulated dusting effect without compromising your eating habits.

As an update, I have also started to dust the balls with raw cane sugar which is another great option.

Alternatively, you can use monkfruit sugar, erythritol or another granulated sweetener

How to make tamarind balls

• De-shell the tamarind pods and remove the stalk (see picture)

• Add the sugar and rum essence then use your hands to mould the tamarind flesh into a big ball

• Break off small pieces of the flesh to form balls then roll each one in the sugar

Where can you buy fresh tamarind?

You can buy fresh tamarind from most supermarkets that are frequented by Caribbean/latino or Asian people.

Can you use tamarind puree that's in the jar?

No, tamarind puree will be too soft to use to form balls, use fresh tamarind pods.

How to de-shell fresh tamarind pods

The shells of a tamarind is surprisingly more on the soft side than tough.

• Use your fingers to literally crack open the shell
• Pull the stalk away from each pod.
•  You will be left with the flesh and seeds only, ready to use.

Notes and tips

• Use your hands to shape the tamarind into a ball. It takes a bit of effort to make into a dough ball. Some people add flour as an aid for shaping the tamarind ball but I prefer to add as little additives as possible.
• The seeds are supposed to be there, you simply suck the tamarind fruit off and discard the seed, that's the Caribbean way of having this snack.
•   Don't worry if some of the seeds come apart, this is completely normal.
• When forming the balls, your hands maybe become sticky overtime, so wash in between intervals if needed.
• Tamarind is also known as sampaloc/tamarindo
• Omit the rum essence if you want to keep the recipe child friendly
• Add hot sauce or black pepper for an extra kick
• Using fine coconut sugar to dust the rolls, form a thicker coating around the balls (not what is pictured, looks like a truffle)
• Can use a white zero calorie sweetener such a sukrin gold, stevia, raw cane sugar or erythritol for dusting the balls if you prefer to.

Other snacks you may like

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Tamarind Balls

Learn how to make these delicious tamarind candy balls - paleo, gluten free, vegan

4.86 from 7 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Appetiser

Cuisine: Caribbean

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 155kcal

Author: Charla

Ingredients

• ▢ A box of fresh tamarind pods or use 20 pods
• ▢ 1 tablespoon of rum essence optional
• ▢ ¼ cup of coconut sugar or raw cane sugar
• ▢ Additional sugar for dusting - I used sukrin gold and stevia or raw cane sugar works too! optional

Instructions

• Use your hands to de-shell the tamarind then place the flesh in a medium sized bowl.
• Discard the stem and shell pieces once the tamarind has been shelled
• Add the coconut sugar, rum essence and any other additional ingredients you choose to use i.e black pepper, hot sauce etc..
• Use your hands to mould the tamarind into a large ball and prepare a plate with a layer of sugar for dusting.
• Break off small pieces of tamarind to form balls then roll into the sugar
• Repeat this step until all the balls have been made

Notes

• Use your hands to shape the tamarind into a ball. It takes a bit of effort to make into a dough ball. Some people add flour as an aid for shaping the tamarind ball but I prefer to add as little additives as possible.
• The seeds are supposed to be there, you simply suck the tamarind fruit off and discard the seed, that's the Caribbean way having this snack.
•   Don't worry if some of the seeds come apart, this is completely normal.
• When forming the balls, your hands maybe become sticky overtime, so wash in between intervals if needed.
• Tamarind is also known as sampaloc/tamarindo
• Omit the rum essence if you want to keep the recipe child friendly
• Add hot sauce or black pepper for an extra kick
• Using fine coconut sugar to dust the rolls, form a thicker coating around the balls (not what is pictured, looks like a truffle)
• Can use a white zero calorie sweetener such a sukrin gold, stevia, raw cane sugar or erythritol for dusting the balls if you prefer to.

Nutrition

Calories: 155kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 26mg | Potassium: 353mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 36g | Vitamin A: 17IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 2mg

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