Tamarind

Tamarindus indica · Fruit

40 pairings

Tamarind is the sticky, sweet-and-sour pulp inside the brown pods of Tamarindus indica, a tropical tree of the legume family. Jammy and date-brown, it is intensely tart from tartaric acid yet deeply sweet, with a raisiny, almost caramelised undertone — the world's great natural souring agent. It threads through pad thai, sambar and rasam, chutneys and Mexican agua de tamarindo and candies, and is the secret sour backbone of Worcestershire and HP sauce. It is sold as whole pods, pressed seedless blocks, or a dark, ready-to-use concentrate.

Picking a good onedrag

Brittle, light, whole podsMouldy or weevil-holed

Stored darkStorage turns the pulp soft, sticky and near-black. That is normal ageing, and it is what a pressed block is made of.Still good

The pulpDeep brown, soft and sticky, presses to a mass

Weight and tapLight still, the odd seed shifting inside

The shellCracked along one seam, the pulp still covered

SmellDeep raisin and caramel, still sour

What to look for, from brittle, light, whole pods to mouldy or weevil-holed.

What one gives you

34%

Usable yield

pods and seeds out

Keeping ittap a band

A domestic fridge holds it about 6× longer than the counter.

Humidity

Dry

It is harvested under 20% moisture and that dryness is what keeps it. Damp is the one real enemy — loose pulp moulds fast in a wet fridge.

Airflow

Sealed, not vented

Tight packing is the tradition: pods bagged, pulp pressed into a block and wrapped, kept cool and dry. Bare pulp out of the shell is what moulds.

Neither gives it off nor feels it

It neither gives ethylene off nor reacts to it, so the fruit bowl is no threat. Damp air and weevils are what actually spoil a pod.

Preparing