Tamarind Sauce - The Recipe Critic (2024)

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Tamarind sauce is a savory sweet and sour condiment used as a marinade, glaze, or for dipping appetizers. Make this versatile sauce at home and enjoy it with Thai and Indian cuisine.

If you’re looking for more tasty homemade sauces to level up your favorite Asian dishes with then try hoisin sauce,yum yum sauce, orthis teriyaki sauce!

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What is Tamarind Sauce?

Tamarind sauce has a distinct flavor that you will fall in love with! The base of this sauce uses the pulp of tamarind fruit. The flavor is quite sour before adding the rest of the sauce ingredients. The soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and spices balance out the sour and help to complement all the flavors of the sauce. It is most commonly served as a dipping sauce for recipes like these tasty samosas. Tamarind sauce can also be used as a marinade, glaze, or drizzled on top of recipes to add a little “zing” to your culinary experience!

You’re going to love this savory, sweet sauce that elevates whatever you serve it on. It’s tangy, thick, and a perfect blend of sweet and spice. Enjoy it as a dipping sauce with tandoori chicken, or drizzled on top of this easy pad Thai recipe!

Ingredients Needed

Tamarind paste is key in creating this sauce, so make sure you have this important ingredient! Find the list of measurements for each ingredient located in the recipe card below.

  • Tamarind Paste: Find tamarind paste at the Asian market or online.
  • Water: Helps break down the paste as it heats through.
  • Soy Sauce: Feel free to use low-sodium soy sauce, just adjust the salt later.
  • Apple Cider Vinegar: Adds an acidic tangy element to the sauce.
  • Cayenne Pepper: Use more if you like it with a little kick!
  • Ground Cumin and Ground Ginger: The combination of cumin and ginger adds to the flavor of this sauce.
  • Brown Sugar: Adds sweetness to the sauce and balances out the sour and tangy flavors.
  • Salt: Season with salt to taste.

Tamarind Sauce Recipe

Follow my easy-to-follow instructions below to make this homemade tamarind sauce. Plus, it will store well for you to use your homemade sauce over and over again.

  1. Heat the Tamarind Paste and Water: Add the tamarind paste and water to a medium saucepan and bring to a rolling boil over medium heat. Boil for about 5 minutes, until it is a thick paste. Remove it from the heat then let it cool for a few minutes.
  2. Strain the Paste Mixture: Use a wooden spoon or a stiff spatula to press the tamarind paste through a fine mesh sieve back into the pan. You should have very thick, sticky pulp left in the sieve and smooth tamarind concentrate in the pan.
  3. Add the Soy Sauce, Vinegar, Spices, and Sugar: Stir in the soy sauce, vinegar, spices, sugar, and a little salt and pepper to the tamarind concentrate. Simmer for 1-2 minutes, or until the sugar is melted and the sauce is your desired thickness. If it becomes too thick, add water 1 tablespoon at a time until it is where you want it. Taste and adjust the seasonings and sweetness to your liking.
  4. Cool and Store: Let the sauce cool before transferring it to an airtight container or bottle for storage.
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Ways to Customize Tamarind Sauce

Make this tasty tamarind sauce just how you like it with these extra tips and tricks! That’s the beauty of making homemade sauces.

  • Make it Sweeter: If you prefer a sweeter sauce then add more sugar. Start with the suggested amount of 2 tablespoons and then adjust accordingly! You can also use honey instead if you prefer.
  • Tamarind Paste: You can find tamarind paste in blocks at Asian markets or online. I used this one from Amazon.
  • Add More Heat: Want it spicier? Add some chili powder or more cayenne.
  • Thin the Sauce: Tamarind sauce can be thinner for dipping or thicker like a chutney. The base for this recipe turns out decently thick, so feel free to thin it down with water if you find it to be too thick.
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Storing Tamarind Sauce

Make a big batch of this homemade tamarind sauce to use with multiple recipes. Give it a quick stir before you use it again to make sure all the ingredients are fully combined.

  • In the Refrigerator: Tamarind sauce will last in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. Store in an airtight container or a condiment bottle.
  • In the Freezer: You can pour it into a silicone ice cube tray then freeze it. Then it’s easy to thaw smaller portions for when you need it but don’t want to make a full batch.
Tamarind Sauce - The Recipe Critic (4)

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Tamarind Sauce

By: Alyssa Rivers

Tamarind sauce is a savory sweet and sour condiment used as a marinade, glaze, or for dipping appetizers. Make this versatile sauce at home and enjoy it with Thai and Indian cuisine.

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 7 minutes minutes

Total Time: 17 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 people

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Add the tamarind paste and water to a medium saucepan and bring to a rolling boil over medium heat. Boil for about 5 minutes, until it is a thick paste, then remove from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes.

  • Use a wooden spoon or a stiff spatula to press the tamarind paste through a fine mesh sieve back into the pan. You should have very thick, sticky pulp left in the sieve and smooth tamarind concentrate in the pan.

  • Stir in the soy sauce, vinegar, spices, sugar, and a little salt and pepper to the tamarind concentrate. Simmer for 1-2 minutes, or until the sugar is melted and the sauce is your desired thickness. If it becomes too thick, add water 1 tablespoon at a time until it is where you want it. Taste and adjust the seasonings and sweetness to your liking.

  • Let the sauce cool before transferring to an airtight container or bottle for storage.

Nutrition

Serving: 2tablespoonsCalories: 65kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 1gFat: 0.1gSaturated Fat: 0.04gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.02gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.04gSodium: 196mgPotassium: 110mgFiber: 1gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 31IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 19mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Sauce

Cuisine: Indian

Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!

About Alyssa Rivers

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Alyssa Rivers and the food blogger behind The Recipe Critic. The blog launched in 2012 as a place to share my passion for cooking. I love trying new things and testing them out with my family. Each recipe is tried and true, family-tested and approved.

Read More About Me

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Tamarind Sauce - The Recipe Critic (2024)

FAQs

What Flavour is tamarind sauce? ›

Tamarind, extracted from the pod-like fruits of the tamarind tree, is a sweet-sour pulp that tastes similar to lemons and dates.

How long does tamarind sauce last in the fridge? ›

Both the concentrate and the sauce can be stored in the fridge for weeks.

How much tamarind sauce instead of paste? ›

Some recipes may call for tamarind paste concentrate, while others will recommend the tamarind paste puree. For an easy conversion, follow this: 3 tablespoons homemade tamarind paste puree = 2 tablespoons store-bought tamarind paste puree = 1 tablespoon store-bought tamarind paste concentrate + 2 tablespoons water.

What pairs well with tamarind? ›

Tamarind Flavor Pairings

Other flavors that are nice with tamarind are ginger, coconut, chiles, lime, anise, and cinnamon. Tamarind tends to also work well with a variety of fruit juices, especially sweeter ones that balance the tamarind's sour profile.

What is similar to tamarind sauce? ›

Rice vinegar: Mix rice vinegar or white wine with an equal amount of brown sugar to replace tamarind paste in recipes. The rice vinegar or wine adds acidity and some sweetness, while the brown sugar enhances that sweetness. Use this as a one-to-one substitute for tamarind paste in recipes.

Is tamarind Spicy or Sour? ›

Tamarind is sour when the fruit is young once it get ripened it acquires a sweet and sour taste and the sourness is because of the high amount of tartaric acid present in it which is a very rich anti-oxidant agent.

Is tamarind good for you? ›

Being rich in polyphenols and flavonoids, tamarind has been shown to decrease LDL cholesterol and increase HDL cholesterol, thereby lowering the risk of atherosclerosis. The dried pulp was also found to have anti-hypertensive effects, reducing diastolic blood pressure.

Can tamarind go bad? ›

Warm weather will speed up the ripening process, so keep your tamarind in a cool place. But generally speaking, it's inadvisable to store tamarind pods in the pantry, as they will rot in no time. According to High Kitchen IQ, tamarind pods can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to three months.

Does unopened tamarind sauce go bad? ›

Unopened tamarind paste can typically last for up to a year past its printed date when stored in a cool, dry place. Once you've opened the jar, the tamarind paste should be consumed within a month if stored at room temperature. But, if you refrigerate it after opening, it can last for about 6 months.

Which tamarind is better? ›

Sour Tamarind Is More Antihypertensive than the Sweeter One, as Evidenced by In Vivo Biochemical Indexes, Ligand–Protein Interactions, Multitarget Interactions, and Molecular Dynamic Simulation.

Are tamarind paste and tamarind sauce the same? ›

Yes. Normally tamarind paste and tamarind concentrate are the same product.

Can I use lemon juice instead of tamarind paste? ›

As tamarind is used to add sourness in stews, chutneys and curries, you can easily substitute tamarind with lime or lemon juice. You will get a sweeter sourness using lime or lemons.

Who should not use tamarind? ›

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: There is not enough reliable information about the safety of taking tamarind if you are pregnant or breast feeding. Using in amounts greater than those found in foods should be avoided until more is known. Diabetes: Tamarind might lower blood sugar levels.

What should not be eaten with tamarind? ›

Interactions ?
  • Aspirin interacts with TAMARIND. Taking tamarind with aspirin might increase how much aspirin the body absorbs. ...
  • Ibuprofen (Advil, others) interacts with TAMARIND. ...
  • Medications for diabetes (Antidiabetes drugs) interacts with TAMARIND.

What do Mexicans use tamarind for? ›

Traditionally, the pulp of ripe fruits is used for sweets and soft drinks, since these are sweeter and the pulp of young fruits is used for salty dishes due to its acidity. And the fact is that Mexicans love tamarind!

What is a tamarind sauce? ›

Tamarind paste is made from a sour, dark, sticky fruit that grows in a pod on a tamarind tree. While some cuisines use tamarind paste to make desserts and even candy, in Thai cooking it is used mostly in savory dishes. Classic pad thai sauce is made with tamarind, as are some Thai curries and seafood dishes.

Is tamarind Sweet or Spicy? ›

Chances are, you've had tamarind before: it's a sweet-sour ingredient that spans the cuisines of many different cultures. Read on to learn more about what it is, where it comes from, all the different ways it's sold and how to cook with it.

What is tamarind flavor jarrito? ›

Tamarind is the pod of a tropical tree containing seeds and a sticky pulp that becomes intensely sweet-and-sour flavored when ripe. Once harvested, the pulp is used to make tamarind candies, tamarind aguas frescas, tamarind salsas, and, of course, Jarritos Tamarind — our second-best selling Jarritos flavor.

Is tamarind sour or tangy? ›

Tamarind is sour when the fruit is young once it get ripened it acquires a sweet and sour taste and the sourness is because of the high amount of tartaric acid present in it which is a very rich anti-oxidant agent.

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