Tamarind Juice Recipe

Two glasses of iced tamarind juice garnished with a slice of fresh lime.

In a few simple steps you can make tamarind juice at home by combining whole tamarind pods with water, cooking them until softened, then straining off the water and adding brown sugar and freshly squeezed lime juice to taste.

Course Drinks

Cuisine Caribbean, Jamaican

Keyword best tamarind juice recipe, sweet tamarind juice

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Cooling Time 20

Total Time 45

Servings

Calories 321kcal

Author Tanya

Equipment

Large pot
Measuring jug
Measuring cups and spoons
Fine sieve
Pitcher

Ingredients

8 cups water separated
1 cup brown sugar adjust to taste
1 lb tamarind pods
2 tbsp fresh lime juice

Instructions

Start by removing the outer husk of the tamarind pods and discard any strings attached to the pods.
In a large pot, add the tamarind pods and 6 cups of water. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer for about 10-15 minutes. The pods should be soft, and the water should be tan colored. Remove from heat, set aside, and allow to cool.
Once cool enough to handle, strain the mixture into a sieve over a large bowl, pressing the pulp and seeds to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the seed and pulp. Set the liquid aside.
Meanwhile, in a separate small pot over medium heat, whisk together water and brown sugar and allow the mixture to come to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally, until the brown sugar is dissolved into the water, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Pour the liquid from the tamarinds, the brown sugar liquid, and lime juice into a pitcher. Stir to combine.
Serve over ice.

Notes

Tamarind juice is similar to lemonade and should be sweetened to your taste. If you find the juice too sour, simply add a bit more sweetener, such as sugar or honey.
Chill the juice in the refrigerator or serve immediately over ice cubes.

Nutrition