Tamarind Juice is one of the most refreshing drinks and my absolute favourite. It is a mixture of sweet and sourness with a little tanginess. This is the best refreshing drink for the summer or just an everyday beverage.
Tamarind Juice is one of our local beverages in The Gambia. Tamarind is known as "Dahar" and it is used in most of our dishes. I grew up drinking this delicious refreshing juice, sold in our school canteen or the local markets. The Gambia's Climate can be very hot so having Tamarind Juice to help cool off the heat was one of my favourite things to do. It can serve any time of the year, not just for the summer.
The Tamarind Juice can be paired with the Domoda or Fish Yassa (Yassa poisson) as your main, have the Akara for starters and Thiakry (Chakry) for dessert.
Ingredients
- Dry or Wet Tamarind Block: You can use fresh tamarind and peel the pods or get a tamarind block. You can use either the wet, dry or fresh.
- Water: I use hot water for soaking the tamarind block and then room temperature water.
- Sugar: I use sugar as a sweetener.
- Salt: This adds an extra layer to the Juice and brings it together, giving you a balance and delicious juice.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Step 1: Add the Tamarind block to a large mixing bowl and add 400ml of hot water. Let it soak for 15 minutes.
Step 2: After 15 minutes, using your clean hand rub the tamarind together using your fingers to break down the paste.
Step 3: Now add the 1.6 litres of water.
Step 5: Discard the hard shells, seeds and fibrous remains.
Step 4: Using a sieve, sieve the juice in a large bowl.
Step 6: Serve the Tamarind juice in a glass over ice and garnish with a fresh slice of lemon.
Storage
Store the Tamarind Juice in a glass jug or bottle in the fridge for a week or a maximum of two weeks. I would not recommend freezing, it is best served cold.
FAQ
Tamarind Juice has a flavour profile of sourness, slightly sweet and tangy. It has a beautiful balanced flavour.
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Recipe
Tamarind Juice
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 5 1x
Ingredients
- 200 grams of Wet or Dry Tamarind
- 400ml of hot water
- 1.6 litres of water
- 1 cup of sugar
- half a teaspoon of salt
- lemons for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Add the tamarind and 400 ml of hot water to a large mixing bowl. Soak the tamarind block for 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, with your clean right hand, break the tamarind block by rubbing it together with your fingers until you have a thick tamarind paste. Or extract the paste by rubbing the soaked tamarind block through a sieve with the back of a spoon. Now add 1000ml of water to the bowl, using a spoon mix it gently.
- Now pour the tamarind mixture through a sieve and discard all the seeds and skin. Add the remaining 600ml of water to the mixing bowl, sugar, and salt and thoroughly mix it until thoroughly combined.
- Now pour the tamarind juice into a jug or glass bottle, and refrigerate before serving. Now serve it over ice and garnish with a slice of lemon. Bonne appertite.
Notes
- You need a sieve, a 2-litre mixing bowl, measuring cups, a tablespoon and a teaspoon. You also need a jug or glass bottle.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 10
- Category: Drink
- Cuisine: African
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