A toast to tamarind
Even if you don鈥檛 know it, you鈥檙e probably familiar with the distinctive tang of tamarind. A staple in South and Southeastern Asian cuisine, it鈥檚 the tangy-sweet heart and soul of a killer pad thai sauce or flavorful curry, and it plays a starring role in the dark-brown dipping sauce served alongside samosas, papadam and pakora at your favorite Indian restaurant. With a flavor akin to tart citrus, tamarind for centuries has also lent its unique sweet and sour flavor to Mexican and Caribbean cuisine, adding a delightful zing to everything from candy and cocktails to sauces and marinades. In the Philippines, it鈥檚 a key ingredient in sinigang, a savory Filipino stew. As American tastes have grown more international, it鈥檚 no surprise that food producers are embracing the fruit in fun ways. In its 24th annual Flavor Forecast, global spice maker McCormick named tamarind the 2024 Flavor of the Year and added Tamarind & Pasilla Chile Seasoning to its wide variety of spices.
I
n the 鈥榸eitgeist鈥 The podlike legume from the tamarind tree also made headlines at June鈥檚 Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City, when specialty food company Tamarind Heads won a gold medal for its barbecue sauce crafted with the fruit鈥檚 鈥渦nique blend of tart, tangy, smoky, sweet and spicy flavors.鈥 Sashi Kumar launched the sauce company in 2019 with business partner Jim Giberson, a chef and food consultant, after the two crossed paths at Dartmouth College鈥檚 Tuck School of Business. As an MBA candidate, Kumar had to complete a project solving a business challenge, 鈥渁nd there were a lot of food initiatives at the time,鈥 he recalls. The one that ended up having legs was figuring out why tamarind hadn鈥檛 broken out in the U.S. despite changes in demographics, especially in cultures where it is a common ingredient. It took the pair five years to develop and refine the sauce 鈥 based on Kumar鈥檚 mother Shalini鈥檚 recipe 鈥 into one with a brand-new flavor profile. Keeping the American palate in mind, the company zeroed in on barbecue sauce as a delivery method to take tamarind from being a 鈥渂ack of the fridge鈥 product you use for one recipe to one that transcends a lot of different foods and can be used in many different ways. Serendipitously, Tamarind Heads鈥 first run of bottles was on the production line in West Bridgewater, Massachusetts, and about to go to market when McCormick unveiled its flavor forecast. The timing couldn鈥檛 have been better. 鈥淚t was a lot of work, but we hit on some zeitgeist,鈥 says Kumar.
Versatile 鈥 and nutritious
Native to Asia, Africa and the Middle East, tamarind trees grow in tropical climates all across the globe 鈥 even in backyards in southern Florida. But if you鈥檙e new to cooking with it in its raw form, you might find more than its taste a little funky. The fleshy, sticky fruit is nestled inside a brittle, peanut-like shell. Similar in texture to figs or dates, it can be eaten raw 鈥 it sweetens as it ripens 鈥 but most often it is steeped in boiling water until it softens, after which the fibrous pulp is pressed through a fine sieve. Relatively low in calories (a half cup only has about 145 calories), tamarind is rich in antioxidants and several key nutrients, including vitamin C and magnesium. It also is a good source of carbs and fiber and is low on the glycemic index, which makes it a good choice for diabetics. Coconut milk and sugar often are added to a recipe to reduce tamarind鈥檚 sour taste. A super- versatile ingredient, it can be used in rice dishes, dals and curries, and it also adds punch to a variety of chutneys. Retired engineer Jayashree Iyengar, who grew up in Chennai, India, and teaches Indian cooking classes in Pittsburgh, recalls the cooking advice her son, Ashwin, gave her years ago when she couldn鈥檛 figure out what a dish was missing: Adding a little bit of tamarind to a dish makes everything taste better. 鈥淲hen something is lacking in flavor, you can add lemon juice鈥 to make it come to life, she says. 鈥淭amarind does the same thing鈥 by adding a pleasant acidity. That applies to drinks as well as sauces, marinades, soups and other foods. Tamarind lemonade and agua fresca (flavored water) is especially refreshing and also makes a super-tangy substitute for orange liqueur in a margarita.
Even if you don鈥檛 know it, you鈥檙e probably familiar with the distinctive tang of tamarind.
A staple in South and Southeastern Asian cuisine, it鈥檚 the tangy-sweet heart and soul of a killer pad thai sauce or flavorful curry, and it plays a starring role in the dark-brown dipping sauce served alongside samosas, papadam and pakora at your favorite Indian restaurant.
With a flavor akin to tart citrus, tamarind for centuries has also lent its unique sweet and sour flavor to Mexican and Caribbean cuisine, adding a delightful zing to everything from candy and cocktails to sauces and marinades. In the Philippines, it鈥檚 a key ingredient in sinigang, a savory Filipino stew.
As American tastes have grown more international, it鈥檚 no surprise that food producers are embracing the fruit in fun ways. In its 24th annual Flavor Forecast, global spice maker McCormick named tamarind the 2024 Flavor of the Year and added Tamarind & Pasilla Chile Seasoning to its wide variety of spices.
I
n the 鈥榸eitgeist鈥
The podlike legume from the tamarind tree also made headlines at June鈥檚 Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City, when specialty food company Tamarind Heads won a gold medal for its barbecue sauce crafted with the fruit鈥檚 鈥渦nique blend of tart, tangy, smoky, sweet and spicy flavors.鈥
Sashi Kumar launched the sauce company in 2019 with business partner Jim Giberson, a chef and food consultant, after the two crossed paths at Dartmouth College鈥檚 Tuck School of Business.
As an MBA candidate, Kumar had to complete a project solving a business challenge, 鈥渁nd there were a lot of food initiatives at the time,鈥 he recalls.
The one that ended up having legs was figuring out why tamarind hadn鈥檛 broken out in the U.S. despite changes in demographics, especially in cultures where it is a common ingredient.
It took the pair five years to develop and refine the sauce 鈥 based on Kumar鈥檚 mother Shalini鈥檚 recipe 鈥 into one with a brand-new flavor profile.
Keeping the American palate in mind, the company zeroed in on barbecue sauce as a delivery method to take tamarind from being a 鈥渂ack of the fridge鈥 product you use for one recipe to one that transcends a lot of different foods and can be used in many different ways.
Serendipitously, Tamarind Heads鈥 first run of bottles was on the production line in West Bridgewater, Massachusetts, and about to go to market when McCormick unveiled its flavor forecast. The timing couldn鈥檛 have been better.
鈥淚t was a lot of work, but we hit on some zeitgeist,鈥 says Kumar.
Versatile 鈥 and nutritious
Native to Asia, Africa and the Middle East, tamarind trees grow in tropical climates all across the globe 鈥 even in backyards in southern Florida. But if you鈥檙e new to cooking with it in its raw form, you might find more than its taste a little funky.
The fleshy, sticky fruit is nestled inside a brittle, peanut-like shell. Similar in texture to figs or dates, it can be eaten raw 鈥 it sweetens as it ripens 鈥 but most often it is steeped in boiling water until it softens, after which the fibrous pulp is pressed through a fine sieve.
Relatively low in calories (a half cup only has about 145 calories), tamarind is rich in antioxidants and several key nutrients, including vitamin C and magnesium. It also is a good source of carbs and fiber and is low on the glycemic index, which makes it a good choice for diabetics.
Coconut milk and sugar often are added to a recipe to reduce tamarind鈥檚 sour taste. A super- versatile ingredient, it can be used in rice dishes, dals and curries, and it also adds punch to a variety of chutneys.
Retired engineer Jayashree Iyengar, who grew up in Chennai, India, and teaches Indian cooking classes in Pittsburgh, recalls the cooking advice her son, Ashwin, gave her years ago when she couldn鈥檛 figure out what a dish was missing: Adding a little bit of tamarind to a dish makes everything taste better.
鈥淲hen something is lacking in flavor, you can add lemon juice鈥 to make it come to life, she says. 鈥淭amarind does the same thing鈥 by adding a pleasant acidity.
That applies to drinks as well as sauces, marinades, soups and other foods. Tamarind lemonade and agua fresca (flavored water) is especially refreshing and also makes a super-tangy substitute for orange liqueur in a margarita.