It must be almost summer if there’s ripe sampalok appearing in the markets… and once you’ve made some tamarind puree, put everything in the sieve (from the first pass) back into the pot and add say 2-3 cups of water and enough sugar to make a thin but flavorful tamarind concentrate. Put that into a pitcher with cold water and add enough tamarind concentrate to your personal taste and serve with lots of ice cubes for one of the most native, natural, refreshing juices you can make. It is so simple and so delicious it reminds me of the santol juice that we always make later in the summer when santol is in season. I suspect this concentrate would also be delicious with some soda water for a bit of carbonation. I also wonder how this would taste as a fruit shake… :)
11 Responses
Looks refreshing indeed ! I’d add that with my seltzer water.
I always buy tamarindo agua fresca out here [California], and have always wondered why Filipinos [partially grew up there] almost always never make juice out of tamarind/sampalok. Lots of sago’t gulaman and other drinks when we were kids but no tamarind juice and always canned pineapple juice but never fresh ones, from a place that grows wonderful pineapple….
My mouth wells up.
Yes it’s sampaloc season. Our tree is quite productive this year and we’ve started giving out sampaloc to our relatives and neighbors. Same goes for our mango tree.
The tamarindo agua fresca from the Mexican restaurants are delicious, refreshing, and high in vitamin C. Mexicans really know how to make fresh fruit juices or agua fresca. I agree with j about how Filipinos here in California would prefer high sugar drinks like sago and gulaman and canned pineapple juice. Maybe part of our culture but the fresh ones are the best with abundance of fruits.
will make some like this
Cora and j., I looked up several recipes for tamarindo aqua fresca, and frankly, the pitcher above is basically that. Mine might be a bit more concentrated so perhaps I should dilute it more… but I like the name so much I might use it in the restaurants if I manage to find a decent supplier of ripe tamarind in Cebu! Thanks.
Try tamarind sorbet or granita.
Yes, please add tamarind juice to the Zubuchon menu with warnings not to consume too much because of its, errr… laxative properties. Heehee!
the Mexican grocery (owned by a Korean) I go to have frozen tamarind and I make the juice when I feel constipated or boil some okra (with lechon kawali )
love tamarindo, except that more than one glass of it could give you the runs.