Tamarind Juice Recipe

Enjoy the wonderful benefits of this refreshing tamarind juice made from scratch and sweetened to taste along with a hint of ginger to tantalise your taste buds.

Course Drink

Cuisine Caribbean

Prep Time 20

Total Time 20

Servings servings

Calories 60kcal

Author Charla

Ingredients

1 box of fresh tamarind pods (400g) or 2 (350g) blocks of tamarind/1 organic jar of tamarind paste
6 cups of lukewarm water (1.42 litres)
1 thumb piece of ginger (grate the ginger if you making the non blender version)
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract (4g)
sweeten of your choice to taste can use maple syrup, agave etc..
additional water if required

Instructions

Use your fingers to crack the brown tamarind shells and remove the stalk from the pulp. (if you are using the blocks, simply break them down with your hands)
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 10-20 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 then gradually increase the speed for about 30 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 and add 1-2 cups more of water if you want to increase the volume of juice.
Finally sweeten the juice to taste and add the vanilla then serve with ice.

Non Blender Version

Use your fingers to crack the brown tamarind shells and remove the stalk from the pulp (if you are using the blocks, simply break them down with your hands).
Place the taramind in a large bowl with the grated ginger.
Pour HOT water over the tamarind fruit, cover with plastic wrap and leave to soften overnight (the fruit will breakdown and the seeds will separate).
The next day, strain off the juice in a nutbag or cheesecloth (discard the seeds).
Sir in the vanilla and sweetener of your choice (to taste).

Video

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 follow the Non Blender Version of the recipe instead.

- Use 2 blocks of tamarind or 1 large jar of organic 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 lime, cloves, nutmeg or cinnamon.

- If you want your juice to be diluted or increase in volume add up to 2 cups more of water

Nutrition