Title: Agua De Tamarindo (Tamarind Cooler)
Categories: Beverages, Mexican
Yield: 4 Cups
10 oz Tamarind pods; (10 lg)
4 c Water
1/2 c Sugar; or more if needed
Tamarind from Asia are sweeter and more velvety and tend to have more
pulp, whereas those from Mexico and the Caribbean are much more tart.
This beverage has a brownish-orange color, but don't be put off by it.
Peel the tamarind pods by hand and discard the outer shell. It's okay
if there are still little bits of shell stuck to the flesh, as the
beverage will be strained.
Put the tamarind flesh in a saucepan, seeds and all. Add the water,
place over medium heat, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and
simmer, stirring occasionally, until the pulp is very soft, about
45 minutes.
Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a pitcher, pressing the solids
with the back of a wooden spoon to extract as much liquid and
tamarind pulp as possible. Add the sugar and stir until it dissolves.
Taste and add a little more sugar if you like. Let cool to room
temperature, then refrigerate until completely chilled. Serve over
ice.
