This flavorful Caribbean condiment is called by a few names tamarind sauce, tamarind chutney, sweet sauce in Trinidad, and tamarind sour in Guyana.
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Caribbean Tamarind Sauce
Traditionally made with fresh tamarind pods, de-shelled, and the pulp squeezed then seasoned with Caribbean green seasoning, sugar, spices, and pepper if you want spicy. The sauce or chutney can be smooth without the seeds or chunky with the seeds. I prefer smooth.
Tamarind pods or pulp can be either sweet or sour, but sugar is added to the sauce based on your preference.
Buying Fresh Tamarind
Tamarind can be purchased as fresh pods with the shell, in a block or jar with the pulp and seeds without the shell, and in concentrated form a completely smooth liquid. I’ve seen them online, in the grocery and specialty stores.
Tamarind Options
Fresh Pods - De-shell and remove the tough membranes. Rinse and continue with the recipe.
Pulp - If the pulp is in a block, add hot water to loosen it up to form a thick sauce. If it’s in a jar, pour it into a saucepan and add extra water if needed. You can also put it through a sieve or fine strainer to remove the seeds. Add your sugar, spices, and green seasoning.
Concentrate Jar - Pour into your saucepan, then add water, sugar, spices, and green seasoning.
How long does homemade tamarind sauce last?
Store leftover tamarind sauce in the refrigerator in an airtight jar for up to 3 weeks. I make a big batch, portion them in small 4 oz mason jars, and freeze them for up 3 months.
How To Serve
Tamarind chutney or sauce would be offered when serving Indian snacks and dishes. If you go to a roti shop or street vendor that serves Caribbean Indian foods like doubles, aloo pies, pholourie, saheena, baiganee, or roti you can ask them for it. It’s so popular around the island and so good.
Traditionally served as a dipping sauce alongside or as a topping on doubles, roti, aloo pies, pholourie, saheena, baiganee, kachori, and many other West Indian Caribbean snacks and dishes.
Step by Step Photos
- Remove hard shell and membrane of the fresh tamarind pods. Rinse well.
2. Boil until softened. Remove from heat and fully cool. I prefer to remove the seeds, so I squeeze the pulp and put sauce through a sieve or fine mesh strainer. You can also keep it chunky with the seeds, give it a good mix, and add all the flavorings.
3. Place the seedless mixture back into the saucepan. Add sugar, salt, masala, geera, green seasoning, and water if needed. Mix well. Simmer for about 10-15 until it's to your preferred thickness.
4. Allow the tamarind sauce to cool and it's ready to serve. Enjoy.
Trinidad Tamarind Sauce
Equipment
- 1 Saucepan
- 1 Metal Strainer
- 1 Mixing Spoon
- 1 Mixing Bowl
- 1 Measuring spoons and cups
Ingredients
Cook Fresh Tamarind
- 1 lb. Fresh Tamarind with Shell (See Blog Post for Substitutions)
- 3 cups Water
Seasoned Tamarind Chutney or Sauce
- 1 - 2 cups Water if needed
- 1 - 2 tsps Amchar Masala or Garam Masala or to taste
- 1 - 2 tsps Roasted Geera or Cumin or to taste
- 2 tablespoons Green Seasoning
- 1 - 1 ½ cups Cane Sugar or Turbinado or to taste
- 1 - 2 tsps Salt or to taste
- For Spicy Add Scotch Bonnet or Habanero
Instructions
Cook Fresh Tamarind Pods
- Remove hard shell and membrane of the fresh tamarind pods.
- Rinse and place into a saucepan with about 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil and simmer on medium until tamarind is softened. About 15 minutes.
- Option To Remove the Tamarind Seeds - Remove from heat and allow the tamarind water mixture to cool. When cooled, with hands or wooden spoon squeeze or mix the pulp with the water to form a thicken mixture. Place thicken mixture through a sieve into a bowl to catch the seeds. Place the seedless mixture back into the saucepan.
Seasoned Tamarind Chutney or Sauce
- To the saucepan with the tamarind mixture add sugar, salt, masala, geera, one tablespoon of green seasoning, and water if needed. Mix well.
- Simmer on medium about 10-15 minutes for the sugar to melt and to reduce the sauce to the texture or thickness you prefer. Taste and adjust sweetness, salt, and seasoning.
- When the tamarind chutney is the right thickness add remaining green seasoning. Cool and Enjoy.
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