Tamarind Recipes

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.

"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.

Star chef Andrew Zimmern adds a sweet touch of tamarind puree to the classic salsa recipe.

The tamarind sauce adds a touch of flavor to this very healthy dish.

This soup is as flavorful as it is warming.

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

"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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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