Tamarind Liquid

Directions

1. 1
   In a small saucepan, combine the tamarind pulp and water over medium heat.
2. 2
   Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
3. 3
   Remove from the heat, cover, and set aside to steep and soften for about 30 minutes, or until you can easily press the pulp against the side of the pan with a fork.
4. 4
   Roughly break up the pulp to make it easier to strain.
5. 5
   Position a coarse-mesh sieve over a bowl and pour in the tamarind.
6. 6
   Using a rubber spatula or metal spoon, vigorously stir and press the solids against the mesh to force as much of the pulp through as possible.
7. 7
   If necessary, return the pulp to the saucepan, add some of the already-strained liquid, stir to loosen up more of the pulp, and then work it through the sieve again.
8. 8
   When the pulp is spent, discard the fibrous left overs.
9. 9
   The resulting liquid will resemble chocolate cake batter.
10. 10
    Use the liquid immediately, or pour into ice-cube trays and freeze.
11. 11
    Note how much each tamarind cube contains; it is typically about 2 tablespoons.
12. 12
    Once the cubes are frozen hard, transfer them to a zip-top plastic bag and store in the freezer for up to 6 months.
13. 13
    To make sure you use the correct amount of the liquid in a recipe, always measure it again before adding it.