Tamarind margarita

This tamarind margarita gets an extra burst of sweet tart flavor from citrus-like tamarind, that also adds depth to the drink. It's no wonder this is a favorite variation on the classic cocktail. Perfect icy-cold on a warm day.

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Margarita cocktails these days are a drink that I think you need to be a little careful on. By that, I mean know how they are going to make it. If they opt for sour mix, walk away (I know, some may like it, but I'm not one of them). Whereas if they use real fresh lime, then by all means. 

While I can see to a point where it became more convenient to use a mix, there really is no comparison with fresh juice, which thankfully most good bartenders appreciate. And hopefully you, too, if you are making them at home.

When it comes to this variation, however, there's an additional ingredient which ideally should also be fresh, though granted it can be a little trickier to find: tamarind. 

What is tamarind and how does it taste?

Tamarind is a tree that's native to Africa but that grows well in tropical climates and so grows these days in Southeast and South Asia, the Caribbean and Mexico. Despite being a tree, it's technically part of the pea family as well. The part you typically eat is the fleshy seed fruit, so it's kind of a legume and fruit at the same time!

Tamarind is used in the cuisines of a number of places, adding a distinct sweet-tartness that tastes a little citrus-like, but also distinctly it's own flavor.

Exactly how tart it is ranges depending on whether it is green and underripe (when it's most tart), or a deep brown and fully ripe (most sweet). Then once it dries, it tends to become more tart again.

Culinary uses for tamarind

There's a good chance you have tried tamarind, even if you haven't been aware of it. It adds both depth of flavor, as well as a distinct tartness to both sweet and savory dishes. It also has tenderizing and preservative properties. Did you know, it's in Worcestershire sauce, for example?

Within Southeast Asian cooking, it's one of the main flavors that gives that slightly sour edge to pad Thai and is common in Thai papaya salad. Filipino sinigang is a sour soup with tamarind as the star flavor. You'll find it in many Indonesian dishes, like beef rendang, urap sayur (a tasty vegetable dish) and it's in many versions of peanut sauce.

In India and Pakistan, you'll find tamarind in many curries, sauces and marinades, such as in rasam, Goan fish curry. Tamarind chutney (or tamarind date) is a popular chutney used with a range of dishes, especially chaats like aloo chaat.

Tamarind is even more visible in Mexican cuisine, where agua de tamarindo is a favorite agua fresca drink. Then you'll find it as paletas (ice pops), made into a candy and of course, this favorite twist on a classic margarita.

Forms of tamarind, and how to adjust this drink accordingly

Tamarind is available in a few different forms - fresh pods, as a block of compressed and slightly dried pulp, and as a paste, often concentrated. Beyond that, you'll also find it as chutney (as mentioned above) and as a syrup, ready for cocktails, for example.

For this drink, I do love the added fresh, nuanced flavor you get starting with fresh pods, or at least a block of pulp. But failing that, a good quality paste or syrup also works. You may just need to adjust the sweetness depending on what you use. 

If you buy fresh pods, I suggest using what is labeled as "sweet tamarind" for this. They are the riper pods that are more sweet than tart. I find you don't need any additional sweetener with this. "Sour tamarind" is the more underripe fruit, which is more astringently tart, and better for cooking than drinks like this. Though if that's all you find, you can use it - just add a small amount of syrup to balance out.

A block of pulp will need a little more time in hot water to extract the flavor etc, but also works well. It tends to be a little more tart as it is drier, so use a little sweetener.

Concentrate or pre-made paste is very easy, as there is no prep work, but tends to lose a little of the nuanced flavor. It also tends to be more tart so needs more sweetener. They do vary, though, so it's worth trying and adjusting to get the right balance. With concentrate, you may want to use a little less, too, so it the flavor is not overly intense.

Tamarind syrup is already sweetened so won't need additional sweetener. Generally, the concentration should be fine to use the same amount as fresh paste.

Blended or on the rocks?

This drink has just a few ingredients: tequila, tamarind, lime and possibly sweetener. The tamarind in effect replaces the triple sec in the traditional drink. Another key ingredient for margaritas is ice - it's definitely a drink to enjoy cold! 

You have a few options on the ice part - along with sour mix, serving margaritas slushie-style has become one of those things. But with good ingredients, a frozen margarita can be both refreshing and tasty, and this version definitely works that way. You simply blend everything with ice and serve.

However personally, I prefer it simply served over ice. You can either stir everything in the glass or better, shake all of the ingredients together with ice and then serve over more ice. If you feel that would be too diluted, you can serve straight up after shaking.

This tamarind margarita is a tasty variation on the classic, with lovely gently fruity, sweet-tart flavors. It's refreshing, flavorful and perfect for taco night, summer parties and so much more.

Try these other refreshing cocktails:

• Lillet spritz (a lovely light and easy cocktail)
• Passion fruit margarita (another delicious variation on the margarita theme)
• Ginger mojito (like the classic, but with a bright ginger kick)
• Plus get more cocktail recipes in the archives.

See some of my favorite cooking tools and ingredients in the Caroline's Cooking Amazon store. 

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