Enjoy the wonderful benefits of this refreshing tamarind juice recipe made from scratch and sweetened with coconut nectar with a hint of ginger to tantalise your taste buds.
If you are looking for a drink that is refreshing with a tropical twist then tamarind certainly fits the bill. This drink will definitely quench your thirst on a hot summer's day.
Tamarind juice is perfect to accompany any dinner party or even prepare for that annual family BBQ.
What is tamarind?
In case you are not familiar with what tamarind is then let me explain. Tamarind is a long pod with a hard brown shell.
The fruit is indigenous to Africa but cultivated in many tropical regions including Asia, Oceania, the Caribbean and Arabia.
What is tamarind used for?
The pulp is used for culinary and medicinal purposes and plays a crucial role in Indian cuisines. Ironically India is one of the biggest manufacturers of tamarind and with how prevalent the use of the fruit is, it's hard not to believe why.
In the Caribbean, Tamarind is referred to as Tamarindo by the Spanish speaking islands - Cuba, Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.
The English speaking Islands like Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Barbados etc.. like to make a delicacy called Tamarind Balls. The pulp is rolled into a small ball and coated with a dusting of sugar for sweetness.
It is also used to make paste, jam, curries or chicken dinner i.e Tamarind Chicken, chutney and or a sweet beverage.
What is the taste of tamarind?
Tamarind has a instinctive taste, it's almost like a juicy acidic sourness with a slight tangy sweetness. Most people tend to sweeten tamarind which makes it more tolerant to use.
Do not be deterred by the description of the taste because tamarind juice is extremely tasty. If you like lemon or lime juice then tamarind juice will win you over.
How to make tamarind juice from scratch?
To make tamarind juice from scratch you will need fresh tamarind pods or you can use a block of tamarind. To speed up the process of separating the pulp from the seeds.
I pulsed the pulp with water on very low speed in a blender. This is a much quicker method then leaving the pulp to soak overnight in warm water.
I also used a mesh cloth to squeeze the liquid from the pulp. If you don't own a mesh cloth, use a strainer or muslin cloth to strain the juice instead.
Where can I buy tamarind from?
You can purchase tamarind from most ethnic grocery store including Caribbean, African, Indian and Asian. If you cannot obtain fresh tamarind pods (see picture) then use 3 small blocks of tamarind instead.
Can I use a jar of tamarind instead of the pods, if so what size?
Yes, HOWEVER...if you are using tamarind that in the jar you want to double check the ingredients to make sure it doesn't contain any additional ingredients or this will impact the overall taste and texture.
A large about 400ml (14oz) is around the amount that you are looking for.
Is it okay to soak the pods overnight if I don't have a high power blender?
The blender that I used for this recipe is very high power which makes me fortunate enough to eliminate hours of soaking.
If your blender isn't sturdy enough to breakdown the seeds then leave the pods to soak for several hours or overnight.
Strain off the tamarind water from the juice, then add your ginger, sweetener, vanilla to a blender and blitz
Notes and tips
- Store the juice in a glass pitcher in the refrigerator, ready to drink
- Consume the juice within 5 days of preparation.
- If you don't have a high speed blender then soak your pods for several hours or overnight so they separate from the seeds.
- Use 3 blocks of tamarind or 1 large jar of tamarind paste (additive free, no other ingredients) if you cannot source fresh pods.
- The taste. Tamarind is quite tart in taste, if you want a sweeter taste then add more sweetener. If you like a sour drink then use less sweetener or none at all
- Don't forget to add some ice cubes to your drink.
- For a different taste, why not use ginger, lime, cloves, nutmeg or cinnamon.
Other drinks you should try
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Tamarind juice recipe
Ingredients
- 1 box of fresh tamarind pods approx 2 cups worth or 3 blocks of tamarind/1 large jar
- 6 cups of lukewarm water
- 1 thumb piece of ginger or 1 teaspoon of ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- sweeten of your choice to taste can use maple syrup, agave etc..
Instructions
- Use your fingers to crack the brown tamarind shells and remove the stalk from the pulp.
- Place the pulp in a large heatproof bowl then carefully pour the warm water over the raw fruit.
- Allow the tamarind to sit in the water for 5-10 minutes so it begins to soften.
- Pour the contents of the bowl into a tall blender like a vitamix and also add fresh ginger now. Do this in batches if required to accommodate the volume of liquid.
- On the lowest setting, pulse the tamarind for 15-10 seconds so the seed separates from the pulp. The liquid will be dark cloudy brown hue and the seeds should settle at the bottom of the container. Repeat this step if necessary to ensure the seeds have pulled apart.
- Pour the tamarind juice into a mesh/cheese cloth or sieve and squeeze and strain the remaining juice. Work in batches if need be.
- Finally sweeten the juice to taste and add the vanilla then serve with ice.
Notes
- Store the juice in a glass pitcher in the refrigerator, ready to drink
- Consume the juice within 5 days of preparation.
- If you don't have a high speed blender then soak your pods for sever hours or overnight so they separate from the seeds.
- Use 3 blocks of tamarind or 1 large jar of tamarind paste (additive free, no other ingredients) if you cannot source fresh pods.
- The taste. Tamarind is quite tart in taste, if you want a sweeter taste then add more sweetener. If you like a sour drink then use less sweetener or none at all
- Don't forget to add some ice cubes to your drink.
- For a different taste, why not use ginger, lime, cloves, nutmeg or cinnamon.
Tana
It tasted really good, i skipped the sugar part bc i am not fond of sweet drinks but it is very refreshing!
Charla
No problem Tana, it's all about making it to your preference. I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Jo
Tamarind is grown across the beautiful continent of Africa.
Charla
Yes it is and thank you for commenting.
Cyndi
Hi Charla, can you use frozen Tamarind? I found a bag of frozen Tamarind pods. I wonder how to use them to make this. Have you tried it? If so, how would I use it to make this drink?
Thank you
Cyndi
Charla
Hi Cyndi, I haven't used frozen tamarind pods to make the juice but I would imagine you would need to de-frost the tamarind first. From there you should be able to follow the instructions (if the pods have already been de-shelled just skip that step). I hope that helps!
Gonzalo Logan
Tamarind can be bought in pulp form (a dark brown paste), from supermarkets and local markets here in Panama. I have seen it in transparent plastic bags. It has a sweet/sharp/sour taste that goes well with chili.
Thank you for the recipe, I am going to try this.
Charla
You are welcome, glad to hear it is readily available in beautiful Panama.
Hannah
Hello
I am trying to make juice from one block of tamarind.
Is it 2 cups water to one block?
Charla
Hi Hannah. Yes, you are going to need around 2-3 cups of water for 1 block of tamarind.
Pamela
I am planning to meet up with my family this weekend, so I will use the Tamarind recipe to make fresh juice. Thank you!
Charla
No problem Pamela, I hope yourself and family enjoy the tamarind juice.
lou haynz
i personally did not add sugar or sweetener to the drink after boiling and straining.... the ,ild slightly sour taste did not bother me and it was much healthier choice than sodas or over sweetened store bought drinks....the better i can stay away from sugar the better
Charla
No problem. It's all about whatever works best for you. I'm glad that you were able to make it to your own preference and enjoy it too. Thanks for the feedback.
Nkiru
What's the best way to store the juice
Charla
In a glass jug and keep it refrigerated
Anne Smith
Recently in Costa Rica I had a refreshing and tasty tamarind juice at a restaurant. I am so excited to find your recipe. I knew of its health benefits, but not how to consume it in larger quantities. The tamarind juice is perfect.
My question is what the amount would be when using a jar of tamarind paste and not blocks.
Can't wait to make this!
Charla
Hi Anne. I'm sure of the size of the jar that you intend to use but you can definitely use tamarind paste. Just make sure it doesn't contain any filler ingredients or additional flavouring. You can skip the first few steps and just blend the tamarind with the water, strain and mix in the sweetener.
Peter nyaboga
Good! I normally see plenty of fresh Tamarind on the streets of Nairobi unfortunately never known the importance, I will be always be buying them.Thank u Charla for this important post
Charla
You are very welcome Peter
Noel Hughes
I'm totally new to tamarand. I have just seen a video on YouTube of a guy who recommended tamarind juice for decalcifying the pineal gland. As tamarind juice is not available in my country off the shelf, I found your recipe very useful.
Charla
Ok, that's good to hear Noel.
danielle m robbins
This detoxes toxic fluoride from the pineal gland in your brain. The fluoride in the water is toxic. (Sodium flouride is toxic not calcium fluoride found naturally in the soil) Studies show it can lower your IQ (Makes you stupid), ruins your thyroid, accumulates in your brain and bones (Bones loss), reproductive problems, brain damage, arthritis, many cancers, ect. Gonna give this one a shot thank you so much! Glad this one exists.
Charla
Thanks for sharing that useful information and you are very welcome Danielle
Kay
So when using the tamarind paste does that shorten the steps in the recipe? If so what are those steps?
Charla
Yes, it eliminates having to de-shell the actual fruit. The steps are the same, simply place the tamarind in the warm water to soften for 10 minutes, add to the blender with the ginger, blend, strain the pulp and excess in a muslin/cheesecloth and sweeten to taste.
PopTop Rising
Thank you : )))
Charla
No problem
Tamara Alexander
My husband and I always buy fresh and slightly frozen tamarind juice from the street vendors in St George's, Grenada. It's tasty drink, that cools you off while walking around the city.
Charla
You can't beat fresh tamarind juice. Thanks for commenting Tamara 😉
Ruth Muwanga
Hi dear!
Thanks for sharing! Can I take tamarind juice on an empty stomach? What other recipes are there ? Thanks in advance.
Charla
Hi Ruth. Yes you can drink tamarind on an empty stomach. You can also try my Tamarind chicken recipe
Ene
Good day. I am from Plateau State in Nigeria. Thanks for sharing your recipe. Please can I add some sugar to the juice?
Charla
Hi there, you can add sugar if you choose not to use coconut nectar.
Cha Ma Rah Belanger
This is the best way for my body to absorb vitamin C . Delicious!!
Alasha
My name is Alasha and I have a passion for cooking and baking I am a caterer I make your tamarind juice and it was excellent thank you so much and keep up the good work
Charla
Thank you Alasha.
Jazz
I love tamarind juice from childhood but, believe it or not, hadn’t seen the actual pods until your post. Pinning this recipe to make in my own kitchen!
Mila Buckley
I really love the health benefits of this juice, and the flavors!
Aaron
I will be the first to admit, I didn't know much about Tamarind prior to reading this post, but now I have a better understanding on how to use it properly in food and drinks!
Maria
I grew up Drinking it back home
In Guatemala it’s so refreshing and tasty
Charla
Yes, it is so refreshing Maria. Thanks for commenting!!
ISAAC NAMALALA
HEY CHARLA, HOW BEST CAN THE JUICE BE RESERVED LIKE FOR A PERIOD OF 4 MONTHS(SHELF LIFE OF THE JUICE)
Charla
Hi Isaac, you could try freezing the juice in small batches, lemon/limes or possibly citric acid. I hope that helps!
Tanya
Perfect timing with this recipe. I just bought a block of Tamarind Paste the other day to use in Pad Thai. Now I know what to do with it. This juice looks lovely, can't wait to try it!
Erika
Your recipes always have such great tips and information. I was not familiar with Tamarind before this post but now I am intrigued. I will have try this!
Jazz
I love tamarind juice from childhood but, believe it or not, hadn't seen the actual pods until your post. Pinning this recipe to make in my own kitchen!