Tamarind Recipes

By Food & Wine
Updated May 01, 2017
Incorporate tamarind into your next meal with these delicious recipes. From a fish curry to a mango smoothie, these tamarind recipes will sure inspire you.
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Fish Curry with Tamarind

Credit: © Geoff Lung
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Tangy tamarind, creamy coconut milk and a homemade spice paste give this grouper and vegetable curry many layers of deep flavor. If you're feeling particularly adventurous, follow Zak Pelaccio's lead and ask your fishmonger to give you a fish head or two to add to the pot.

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Beer-Braised Baby Back Ribs with Orange-Tamarind Sauce

Credit: © Jody Horton
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"I started making my Abilene sauce 20 years ago, and every year I tweak it or add something," says Olivia chef James Holmes of his signature barbecue sauce. Despite its spicy intensity, the pork and beer flavors come straight through.

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Tamarind Salsa

Credit: © Madeleine Hill
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Star chef Andrew Zimmern adds a sweet touch of tamarind puree to the classic salsa recipe.

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Steamed Sea Bass with Tamarind Sauce

Credit: © JOHN KERNICK
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The tamarind sauce adds a touch of flavor to this very healthy dish.

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Tamarind Shrimp Soup

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This soup is as flavorful as it is warming.

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Tamarind and Tonic

Credit: © William Meppem
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The unusual combination of tamarind syrup and tonic makes this drink both dry and exceptionally refreshing, with a slight bitterness.

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Tamarind Beef

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"I made up this dish to have one thing on my menu that wasn't spicy," says Chris Yeo. He marinates cubes of beef tenderloin in a sesame-oil mixture so it's even more tender, then adds flavor to the mild beef by searing the pieces in shallot-infused oil. The crispy shallots fried beforehand in the oil make a terrific garnish for the beef.

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Honey-Tamarind Baby Back Ribs

Credit: © Quentin Bacon
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Naturally tart tamarind keeps the honey-based barbecue sauce from becoming too sweet for the luscious, slow-cooked ribs. Opt for dark, runny tamarind concentrate instead of tamarind pulp, which needs to be soaked and strained before using; it's available at Asian markets.

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Squid in Tamarind Brown Butter with Green Mango

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Zak Pelaccio uses local squid and tamarind to make this at Fatty Crab St. John, but the flavors are primarily Asian. Yuzu kosho, a spicy Japanese condiment made from yuzu zest and chile peppers, adds fragrant citrus notes and heat, while the Indonesian soy sauce known as kecap manis gives the sauce a touch of saltiness and sweetness.

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Slow-Roasted Salmon with Tamarind, Ginger and Chipotle

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Top Chef Masters winner Floyd Cardoz reveals his secrets to slow-roasting salmon. Here, he flavors the fish with spicy ginger, sweet maple syrup, tangy tamarind and smoky chipotles. Cooking salmon at a low temperature (300?) prevents it from drying out and mellows the flavor.

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Crisp Noodle Pancake with Tamarind-Glazed Chicken

Credit: © Tina Rupp
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Sang Yoon's succulent chicken, glazed with an Indian-inflected blend of tamarind, vinegar and chile, sits on a pan-seared cake of slender Chinese egg noodles. The glaze is terrific with any poultry.

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Mango-Tamarind Smoothie

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This creamy mango smoothie is slightly tart thanks to unsweetened tamarind paste.

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