Tamarind Drink
Ingredients:
- 1 pound fresh tamarind pods (ripe, NOT the green one used for sinigang)
- 7 cups water
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup sugar
Instructions:
- Shell and devein tamarind pods.
- In a sauce pot over medium heat, combine tamarind and 3 cups of the water. Bring to a simmer, stirring and mashing with back of spoon, for about 8 to 10 minutes or until tamarind is softened and mixture is thickened. The flesh at this point has mostly peeled from the seeds.
- Using a fine mesh sieve, strain pulp into a pitcher. Slowly add the remaining 4 cups water to the pulp, mashing with the back of the spoon to extract any remaining pulp. Discard seeds.
- Sweeten tamarind water with simple syrup to taste and stir well. Serve over ice.
- In a sauce pot over medium heat, combine water and sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved.