Tamarind’s beautifully nuanced sweet and sour notes makes a wonderful Tamarind Agua Fresca, keep on reading for my recipe!
If you are not familiar with aguas frescas, they are refreshing non-alcoholic Mexican beverages. These delicious drinks are made from one or more fruits, cereals, flowers, or seeds and are blended with water, sugar, condensed milk, or other sweeteners. Tamarind Agua Fresca is not only one of the most popular of the aguas frescas, but it is also one of my favorites.
Tamarind is a brown pod-like fruit that grows on trees. The fruit’s flesh can be sweet and/or sour, depending on the variety. Although I have never eaten the fruit directly from the pod, I do rehrydrate the fruit with water and sugar to create a Tamarind Syrup. I use the syrup in both my Tamarind Margarita and Tamarind Agua Fresca Recipe. The syrup is the primary ingredient for this recipe. To read the step by step recipe for my Tamarind Syrup, click here.
I admit that effort is required in making the Tamarind Syrup. I like to prepare a double batch of the syrup to reserve in my freezer and use at my leisure to make my Tamarind Agua Fresca. While aguas frescas are traditionally made with non-sparkling water, I offer the option to use sparkling water in this recipe. I was quite surprised how much I love using S.Pellegrino in this recipe.
Even though the Tamarind Agua Fresca does not contain alcohol, I love adding a sexy garnish to amp up the mocktail. For a jazzy twist, serve the Tamarind Agua Fresca in a 12 oz. highball glass with a rim covered in Tajín. Add a cocktail pick with a chili mango slice and a lime wedge. If you are not a fan of the Tajín chili spice, you can certainly substitute Margarita Salt or simply add a lime wedge.
NOW THAT I HAVE SHARED A COUPLE OF TIPS ON HOW TO JAZZ UP THIS LOVELY MOCKTAIL, LETS GET TO PREPARING A REFRESHING TAMARIND AGUA FRESCA:
Tamarind Agua Fresca
Ingredients
- 4 oz Tamarind syrup
- 6-8 oz sparkling or non-sparkling water
- 2-4 ice cubes
- 1 lime wedge
- 1 oz Tajín chili spice
Instructions
- Place 1 oz of Tajín chili spice on a small flat plate.
- Use a pairing knife and a cutting board to quarter a lime into wedges.
- Moisten the rim of the glass with a lime wedge. Gently roll the rim against the Tajín.
- Using a cocktail jigger, measure 4 oz of Tamarind Syrup and add to the highball glass.
- Add 6-8 ounces of sparkling or non-sparkling water to the glass. Use a cocktail stirrer to combine the water and the Tamarind Syrup. Add ice.
- If you would like to add a garnish, add a chili mango slice and a lime wedge to a cocktail pick. Place the cocktail pick atop the rim of the glass. I hope you enjoy this refreshing Tamarind Agua Fresca as much as I do! Every sip of this mocktail brings many fond memories of my days in Mexico.
TOOLS USED FOR THIS TAMARIND AGUA FRESCA RECIPE
12 oz highball cocktail glasses
I love how this leguminous fruit is used in so many international cuisines from aguas frescas to chutney, curries, and bouillabaisses. As I continue to explore the many uses for this versatile fruit, I hope to bring you more recipes.
If you enjoyed this Tamarind Agua Fresca, I suspect you will also enjoy some of the other Mexican recipes that I have featured. One exceptional dish that pairs well with the agua fresca is my Authentic Mexican Ceviche Recipe. Click here for the recipe!
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