What Is Tamarind and How Can I Use It?

Tamarind is easier to cook with than it looks. Here's how to choose, use, and store it, what to substitute, and 75 recipes to get you started.

What is tamarind?

Tamarind (known as Imli in Hindi) is a very popular ingredient used in Indian households for everyday cooking. It is a sour dark colored fruit that grows in a pod and is used extensively across the world (from India to Thailand to Mexico) to make a variety of dishes, candies, and even sweet dishes. Though it is usually used to make savory dishes, when combined with sugar, it creates a unique flavor and gives the dish the right balance of both sweet and sour. From making fresh sweet and sour tamarind chutneys to adding them to dishes like Sambhar and Rasam to uplift their flavor and add a hint of tang to them, tamarind is indeed an essential part of Indian cuisine.

A tamarind paste is made by boiling the whole tamarind in water and separating its pod from it before crushing it into a pulp. The paste is an easy and convenient alternative to the whole tamarind as it saves you the time of boiling it and preparing it at home before adding it to any dish. Packaged Tamarind pastes can easily be bought off the shelf from any supermarket or a store nearby your home.

How to make tamarind paste?

Using fresh Tamarind pods make your own fresh homemade tamarind paste.

Homemade Tamarind paste recipe

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 cup (251g)

Amount per Serving

Calories 143Calories from Fat 2

% Daily Value *

Total Fat 0.3g 0%

Saturated Fat ~ -5%

Trans Fat ~

Cholesterol 0mg 0%

Sodium 17mg 1%

Total Carbohydrate 37.0g 12%

Dietary Fiber 1g 5%

Sugars 31.9

Protein 0.2g

Vitamin A 0% Vitamin C 30%

Calcium 3% • Iron 10%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your caloric needs.

recipeland.com/nutrition

Quick facts

Where to find tamarind: Tamarind is usually found in the asian section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.

Food group: Tamarind is a member of the Fruits and Fruit Juices US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.

In Chinese: 罗望子
British (UK) term: Tamarind
en français: tamarin
en español: tamarindo

How much does tamarind weigh?

Amount	Weight
1 cup	251 grams

Fruits and Fruit Juices

Apples 1607 Apples, granny smith 280 Apple juice concentrate 68 Apricots 237 Apricots, dried 146 Mixed dried fruit 62 Avocados 441 Bananas 1034 Blackberries 70 Blueberries 462

Recipes using tamarind

There are 75 recipes that contain this ingredient.

Homemade Sour Fish Curry

This recipe is a very popular dish in Sri Lanka. I hope you’ll try this recipe.

Sindhi Curry

One of my favourite things to have for a meal is Sindhi curry with plain boiled rice accompanied by crispy vegetables. The Sindhi Curry is by far the nicest curry I’ve had. Sour, spicy and tangy – some of the flavours I’m especially biased towards. This is also good because I end up eating a variety of vegetables.

Jasmin's Pad Thai

Authentic Thai street-style pad thai with chewy rice noodles, shrimp, tamarind, and fish sauce. Quick wok-tossed noodles with cashews and lime in 20 minutes.

Shrimp & Lentil Soup

a bit spicy soup.. I found a combination of lentil and shrimp in Sri Lanka's cuisine, however I never found any recipe, and I tried my way..

Chicken Pad Thai

Pad Thai Tip: For even more flavor, I'll often make a double batch of the pad Thai sauce. Then, as I'm stir-frying the noodles, I'll add more sauce until I'm happy with the taste (I also add extra fish sauce). Any leftover sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

Thai Tamarind Chicken Stir Fry

Tired of cooking chicken the plain old style? How about making it Thai style this time! And with a hint of tamarind added to it, there is no way you can keep yourself from licking the last morsel of it left off the plate. What’s more? It is quick and easy to make and can be prepared in a jiffy whenever you have unannounced guests at home. A classic Thai recipe, this sweet and sour chicken stir fry even though is a meal by itself but when served with fragrant jasmine rice they take the eating experience to a whole new level. Try is right away!

Cabbage Cucumber Salad with Tamarind Dressing

A quick, easy and delicious salad. Cucumber, mang bean sprouts and cabbage were crunchy and juicy. lemon, yogurt and tamarind dressing was creamy and refreshing. A delicious dish.

Indonesian Beef Rendang

Serve with steamed rice and pair with spiced ale or imperial brown ale.

Mango & Tamarind Chutney

Mango and tamarind chutney: slow-simmered jammy preserve with mango, golden raisins, ginger, mustard seed, and sour tamarind. Water-bath canned for a year of shelf life.

Tamarind Sauce

Indian tamarind chutney (imli ki chutney) made from soaked tamarind pulp with toasted cumin, chili, and mint. The classic tangy-sweet dipping sauce for samosas, pakoras, and chaats.

Tamarind Paste

Using fresh Tamarind pods make your own fresh homemade tamarind paste. You can use it in Indian cooking, Thai, Jamaican and Mexican. Add a spoonful to flavor curry, soups or even into meat taco mixes. In India it is used for a soft drink. Sort of like iced tea with an interesting tang or zing.

Curried Oysters with Banana Salsa

Grilled oysters on the half shell drenched in a rich curry cream sauce made with homemade fish fumet, topped with a tropical red banana salsa spiked with serrano chiles, tamarind, and fresh mint. A showstopper.

Sambhar

South Indian sambhar made with toor dal, tamarind, coconut, and a ground spice paste of channa dal, dhania seeds, and dried red chiles. A tangy, protein-rich lentil stew for rice or dosa.

Mint & Coriander Chutney

Fresh mint and coriander chutney with tamarind, green chili, and onion ground into a bright, tangy paste. A no-cook Indian condiment that keeps in the fridge for a week and pairs with samosas, kebabs, and chaat.

Sinigang Na Baboy (Pork in Sour Broth)

Classic Filipino sinigang with pork ribs braised in a tart tamarind broth alongside tomatoes, daikon, green beans, and wilted spinach. The ultimate sour soup for rice lovers.

Sprout, Bean & Vegetable Stew

A South Indian-inspired sambar stew with Brussels sprouts and green beans simmered in a spiced yellow lentil purée with tamarind, mustard seeds, and fenugreek. Vegan, protein-rich, and served over rice.

Pitlai

Pitlai is a South Indian lentil stew with bitter gourd (karela), chickpeas, tamarind, and a ground coconut-spice paste. A tangy, complex vegetarian curry with toor dal and jaggery.

Katirikkai Thogyal

Katirikkai thogyal is a smoky South Indian eggplant chutney made with roasted eggplant, urad dal, dried red chilies, tamarind, and a pinch of hing. Coarsely blended and served alongside rice and ghee.

Molahu Kozhambhu

A spicy and delicious dish that calls for canned tomatoes, red chili peppers and rice flour.

Rasta Redfish Marinade

Rasta redfish marinade is a Caribbean-style chutney made from unripe mangos, tamarind, malt vinegar, ginger, and hot chilies. Simmered, pureed, and ready to transform grilled fish.

Lone Dao Jiow

Lon Tao Jiao: a Thai coconut milk and fermented bean sauce dip served with raw cucumber, cabbage, and green beans. A salty-sweet-sour Thai vegetable platter.

Kwitiaow Pad Thai

Kwitiaow Pad Thai with rice noodles, prawns, bean curd, egg, and peanuts in a tamarind-palm sugar sauce. An authentic Thai street food classic with traditional condiments on the side.

Sambar

South Indian sambar with toor dal, potatoes, tomatoes, and tamarind in a spiced lentil broth finished with a mustard seed tempering. Serve with rice, idli, or dosa.

Fish Stew

South Indian fish stew with monkfish, tamarind, coconut, mustard seeds and asafoetida. Fragrant Kerala-style seafood curry served over saffron rice.

Eggplant Dip or Spread

South Indian eggplant dip with tempered mustard seeds, cumin, tamarind, and fresh coconut. A smoky, tangy spread with roasted eggplant pureed with ground spice masala.

Cucumber Pachadi

South Indian cucumber pachadi with tamarind, green chilies, and a sizzling tempering of mustard seeds, fenugreek, and asafetida. A tangy, spicy condiment served cold.

Sinigang Na Manok(Chicken in Sour Broth)

Sinigang na manok features chicken sauteed with garlic and tomatoes, then simmered in a sour tamarind broth with icicle radish and peppery mustard greens. A hearty Filipino one-pot meal.

Rempah (Malay Curry)

Rempah, the fragrant Malay curry built on a fried spice-and-chili paste with garlic and ginger, then sweet potato, coconut and tamarind. The slow-fried paste is the heart of the dish.

Duck with Black Bean Sauce & Tamarind Jus

Crispy-skinned roast duck over a smoky black bean sauce with cumin, green chili, and apple puree, drizzled with tangy tamarind jus. A fusion showpiece worth every minute.

Date Chutney

Date chutney (khajoor chutney) with tamarind, cumin, and red pepper flakes pureed into a thick, sweet-tangy Indian condiment. Just 6 ingredients for an authentic dipping sauce for samosas, chaat, and pakoras.

Madras Meat Curry

Madras beef curry slow-simmered with whole cloves, cardamom, green chilies, ginger, and tamarind. A fiery South Indian-style curry with tender braised beef cubes.

Pacific Rim Brochettes

Grilled tofu skewers marinated in lemongrass, tamarind, mint, and ginger with mushrooms, snow peas, and tomatoes. Vegetarian brochettes packed with Pacific Rim flavors.

Spinach with Moong Dal

Spinach moong dal: tender yellow split mung beans simmered with spinach, tamarind and turmeric, finished with a sizzling tadka of mustard seeds, fenugreek and dried chiles. South Indian comfort food.

Sinigang Na Bangus (Milkfish in Sour Broth)

Filipino sinigang na bangus featuring milkfish simmered in a tart tamarind broth with tomatoes, green beans, banana heart, and wilted spinach. Ready in just 30 minutes.

Indonesian Curried Crab

Indonesian curried crab simmers cracked whole crab in a rich coconut curry built on a fresh-ground paste of galangal, lemongrass, chili and candlenuts, balanced with sour tamarind. Fragrant, fiery, gloriously messy.

Sri Lanka Miris Malu Stewed Fish with Spices

Miris malu is a fiery Sri Lankan fish stew. Cubed fish simmers gently with tamarind, black pepper, cinnamon, garlic, ginger, and curry leaves in a thin, punchy chili-spiked broth.

Boy Suhash's Phall

The hottest curry in the world by Boy Suhash, Luxembourg.

Chicken, Tofu & Shrimp Pad Thai

Authentic Pad Thai with chicken, shrimp, fried tofu, rice noodles, and tamarind-fish sauce dressing. Topped with crushed peanuts, bean sprouts, lime, and cilantro.

Khatte Channe

Khatte Channe, a tangy North Indian chickpea curry with tamarind, garam masala, cumin, and slow-fried onions. Vegetarian and full of sour-spicy depth. Serve with poori.

Sinigang Na Baboy

Filipino pork sinigang with tender ribs simmered in a tangy tamarind broth loaded with tomatoes, green beans, and spinach. A comforting sour soup that warms you from the inside out.

Chhole Alu

Chhole alu: North Indian chickpeas and potatoes in a tangy-spicy gravy with jaggery, tamarind, garam masala, and green chiles. A Punjabi street-food classic made vegetarian and satisfying.

Anai Pachadi

South Indian vegetable curry with butternut squash, coconut, tamarind, and mustard seed tempering. Tangy, mildly spiced, and perfect with rice.

Sinigang Na Bangus(Milkfish in Sour Broth)

Bangus sinigang brings together milkfish, tart tamarind broth, ripe tomatoes, banana heart, and fresh greens in a classic Filipino sour soup that's on the table in 40 minutes.

Healthier Nasi Lemak

Considered the national dish of Malaysia, nasi lemak is a breakfast staple in Singapore hawker centres, but is also recognised as one of the least healthy breakfast options - no surprise since lemak means 'fatty' and refers to the rich white rice cooked in coconut cream. When served with fried chicken, the dish really does pack a calorific punch. However, with a few tweaks and substitutions it is possible to create a healthier version of the dish to enjoy on weekends at home with family.