Tamarind Sharbat
Tamarind is soaked and strained rather than blended with its hard seeds.
Two measured fresh servings
125 minutes; start with cold liquids unless a hot infusion is specified. One tablespoon = 15 ml; one teaspoon = 5 ml.
About Tamarind Sharbat
Tamarind is soaked and strained rather than blended with its hard seeds.
Kitchen testing has not been documented for this recipe. Cooking times are estimates and vary with the stove, cookware and batch size. Follow the doneness checks in the method.
Make it work for your kitchen
Original quantities serve 2. Cooking times, pan size and frying-oil depth do not scale, cook in extra batches instead.
Before you start
Measure the ingredients
Measure the ingredient list for your selected servings: tamarind pulp, water, sugar, black salt. Keep separately listed cooking, soaking and dilution liquids separate.
Before startingPrepare the key ingredients
Inspect the pulp for hard seeds and shell fragments.
Follow the ingredient preparation notesSet up the equipment
Measuring jug; Kitchen scale; Measuring spoons; Clean mixing jug; Serving glasses or cups; Deep saucepan; Heatproof spoon; Fine strainer. Stop electric equipment before scraping or handling its blades.
Clean workspaceCheck allergens and plan service
No major allergens intentionally included. Check commercial syrup labels and shared-equipment cross-contact. Have clean serving vessels ready. Keep chilled ingredients refrigerated until their step, and serve the finished drink at the temperature stated in the method.
Before serving
Step-by-step cooking method
1 Check the tamarind
Inspect the pulp for hard seeds and shell fragments.
2 Measure the ingredients
Measure water, sugar and black salt; separate cooking and dilution water.
3 Simmer the pulp
Simmer tamarind in its cooking-water portion for 5 minutes.
4 Rest the infusion
Take off heat and let stand for 10 minutes.
5 Strain carefully
Press softened pulp through a sieve and discard fibres and seeds.
6 Sweeten and dilute
Dissolve sugar and black salt, then stir in the remaining water.
7 Chill promptly
Transfer to a shallow container and refrigerate promptly for about 90 minutes, until cold.
8 Stir and serve
Stir, divide evenly between glasses and serve cold.
Chef’s tips
- Tamarind is soaked and strained rather than blended with its hard seeds.
- A clear brown sweet-sour drink with no sticky fibres.
Common mistakes & quick fixes
- Hard fragments
- Inspect fruit before and after cooking; do not grind seeds or stones. Strain through a fine sieve.
Variations & serving ideas
Sweetness: For the next batch adjust sugar to the actual fruit or syrup sweetness. Keep the water and main ingredient quantities measured.
Perfect result check
| Finish | A clear brown sweet-sour drink with no sticky fibres. |
|---|---|
| Solids | No unintended stones, hard seeds or peel remain in the serving glasses. |
Storage & reheating
| Covered in the refrigerator | Use within 24 hours; immediate serving gives best texture | Use clean untouched portions only. Keep at 4°C or colder; cool heated mixtures promptly in shallow containers. Assembled soda, slush and ice-cream drinks are best mixed only at serving. |
|---|
Know when to change the heat
| Stage | Heat | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Check the tamarind | No heat | Inspect the pulp for hard seeds and shell fragments. |
| Measure the ingredients | No heat | Measure water, sugar and black salt; separate cooking and dilution water. |
| Simmer the pulp | Gentle simmer; watch the pan | Simmer tamarind in its cooking-water portion for 5 minutes. |
| Rest the infusion | No heat | Take off heat and let stand for 10 minutes. |
| Strain carefully | No heat | Press softened pulp through a sieve and discard fibres and seeds. |
| Sweeten and dilute | No heat | Dissolve sugar and black salt, then stir in the remaining water. |
| Chill promptly | No heat | Transfer to a shallow container and refrigerate promptly for about 90 minutes, until cold. |
| Stir and serve | No heat | Stir, divide evenly between glasses and serve cold. |
Helpful answers before you cook
What should I look for?
A clear brown sweet-sour drink with no sticky fibres.
How do I avoid the main problem?
Inspect fruit before and after cooking; do not grind seeds or stones. Strain through a fine sieve.
Is fresh juice pasteurized?
No. For pregnant people, young children, older adults or anyone immunocompromised, use a commercially pasteurized juice alternative rather than untreated home-pressed juice.
