This Simple Tamarind Syrup recipe has been updated on May 2020 to include new photography and an expanded text.
As a child, one of my favorite candies were dulces de tamarindo (tamarind candies). These Mexican candies come in various forms such as a pulp, hard candy, and lollipops. If you are not familiar with tamarind, it is a brown pod-like fruit that grows on leguminous trees. Although I grew up eating tamarind in sweets, this fleshy fruit is used in cuisines around the world to make chutney, curries, bouillabaisses, and more.
I decided to recapture the flavors I fondly remember by making a Tamarind Syrup to use in desserts, agua frescas, and cocktails. The kids in my family love when I use the syrup to make a fresh batch of Tamarind ice popsicles. Adults, on the other hand, go crazy over my Tamarind Margaritas. The possibilities and uses for this simple syrup are endless.
While creating this syrup, I learned that fresh tamarind is available in both a sweet and sour variety. I have made the simple syrup recipe using both varieties. Sweet tamarind will result in a sweeter syrup, while the flavors of a sour syrup will be slightly more nuanced. For the best of both worlds, I occasionally create a syrup using both sweet and sour tamarind.
Now that I have shared a couple of my favorite uses for Tamarind Syrup, let’s get to the recipe!
Tamarind Syrup
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh tamarind sweet, sour, or a combination of both
- 4 c water
- 2 c sugar
Instructions
- Peel 1 lb of fresh tamarind from its shells. Discard the shells.
- Add 4 cups of water, 2 cups of sugar, and 1 lb of fresh tamarind to a 4 quart sauce pan and bring to a boil. Once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-high. Continue to cook all ingredients on the medium-high setting for 30 minutes .
- Allow the mixture to cool for 30 minutes to one hour. After the syrup cools, use a colander to remove the cooked tamarind and its seeds. Reserve the syrup in a 4 liter bowl or similar container.
- Using your hands, remove the seeds from the tamarind pulp. Discard the seeds and add the pulp to the syrup reserved in the 4 liter bowl.
- Blend the pulp and liquid using a hand blender or similar device. Blend both ingredients until smooth.
- Once the mixture is fully blended, strain the syrup using a colander. Use a spoon to help push the syrup through the mesh colander. Reserve the syrup in a 4 liter bowl. Discard the pulp that does not strain.
- Tamarind Syrup is ready to use for your cocktail or dessert! You can also store the remaining syrup in Mason Jars or freeze in a ice cube tray.
Tools used for this Tamarind Syrup Recipe:
1 spoon
1 large 4 liter bowl with a lid
Although this recipe does require some time and effort, it is relatively easy to make. I often make a double batch of the syrup and store in my freezer. I like to have the Tamarind Syrup readily available to make impromptu cocktails for friends and family, especially during the summertime. To freeze the syrup, simply pour into ice trays and freeze for 24 hours. Once the ice cubes are ready, store the ice cubes in a freezer safe storage bag or freezer safe container. Use the frozen tamarind cubes as needed to create your desired dessert or drink!
I hope you enjoy this Tamarind Syrup recipe as much as I do. It’s truly fantastic and is perfect for margaritas, aguas frescas, or spritzers. Click here, to read the recipe for my Tamarind Margarita!
[…] Tamarind Margarita recipe requires the use of either sweet or sour tamarind syrup. I have tried and enjoy both syrup varieties in this recipe. However, I do prefer the use of […]