All about Tamarind Paste

Tamarind Paste
Delicious, fresh, super flavorful tamarind paste ready to use!

All about Tamarind Paste, a staple in every Thai kitchen !

It’s the quintessential street food of Thailand and if there’s one dish that every visitor will try at some point or another, it’s Pad Thai. So here are some simple tips and tricks to make your very own Pad Thai.

Tamarind Paste
Fun fact: Tamarind are technically legumes as tamarind tree is leguminous !

What Is Tamarind Paste?

Tamarind paste is made from a sour, dark, sticky fruit that grows in a pod on a tamarind tree. The dark reddish-brown fruit is removed from the pods and must be separated from the seeds to become a ready-to-use cooking paste.

Even though it’s sour, tamarind doesn’t have any hint of citrus whatsoever. Instead, it smells like sweet fruit, but its sweetness is very subtle.

Tamarind Paste
Tamarind is one of the main seasonings in Thai cooking

Cooking With Tamarind Paste

Because of its sour taste, whatever recipe you are making will need sugar or some kind of sweetener. The good thing with deSIAM tamarind paste is that we have already added a bit of sugar, so you can use straight from the sachet !

Tamarind gives dishes a beautiful but subtle, sweet-sour flavor used for all types of dishes, including soups and stir-fries. Tamarind sauce is a critical ingredient in many Thai recipes, including the famous Pad Thai. It is commonly used in various northern Thai dishes, it is also very effective as a natural preservative and marinade.

Tamarind Paste
A funny-looking fruit but don't walk past it !

Health Benefits of Tamarind

Tamarind has a high vitamin C content, which can help combat colds and other infections. It also has a cooling effect, which will help to prevent heat stroke and heat-induced migraines.

Additionally, it can also help alleviate indigestion and acid reflux, which makes it an incredibly healthy ingredient.

Time to cook!
Prawn with tamarind

An absolute must for tamarind-lovers!

Get recipe