127 tamarind recipes

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.

Thai satay sauce from scratch: a dry-toasted aromatic paste of chiles, shallots, garlic, and galangal cooked into coconut milk with peanuts, sesame, tamarind, and fish soy.

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.

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.

Crispy fried rice vermicelli (mee krob) tossed with tangy tamarind syrup, bean sprouts, cilantro, and green onions. Classic Thai sweet, sour, salty noodle dish with shattering crunch.

Thai kanom jin nam prik curry noodles built on a fragrant coconut-moong bean sauce with red curry paste, tamarind, and crispy fried shallots and garlic. Rich, tangy, and earthy, served over soft rice noodles with long beans and sprouts.

Indonesian nasi goreng (fried rice) with shrimp, chicken, and barbecued pork, built on a shrimp paste and chili spice paste with tamarind and kecap manis. Authentic Southeast Asian flavor.

Hearty vegetarian Indian curry with potatoes, sweet potatoes, eggplant, zucchini, turnips, and green beans in a chickpea flour gravy spiced with ginger, tamarind, and fresh coriander.

Kukul mas is the classic Sri Lankan chicken curry. Chicken rubbed with tamarind, cardamom, and curry powder simmers in thick coconut milk with lemongrass and fenugreek until fall-off-the-bone tender.

Authentic Pad Thai with rice noodles, prawns, tofu, eggs, tamarind-palm sugar sauce, bean sprouts, and peanuts. Served with traditional condiment saucers.

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

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.

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

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

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.

An easy homemade pad Thai that skips hard-to-find tamarind, leaning on fish sauce, vinegar, and paprika for that sweet-sour-salty tang. Chewy rice noodles tossed with tofu, shrimp, egg, bean sprouts, and crushed peanuts.