Tamarind Juice as a Mixer?

Palmwine Drunkard · Post by **Palmwine Drunkard** » Sat Aug 12, 2006 6:11 am

Tamarind, Lime juice, and Vodka. Name suggestions?

I am just trying this and it is really delicious, although a bit on the "healthy" side for some tastes (including mine usually).

Tamarind, for those of you who don't know, is a tropical SE Asian fruit that resembles a large elongated plum. Its fruit is a deep purple color and it has many small seeds in the center.
This fruit is also known as "Terong Belanda" (Dutch Eggplant!) in Indonesian, but its flavor is a sour / tangy mixture of strawberry, mango, and tomato.
I know it sounds gustatorially conflicting, but with a bit of sugar added, it is a wonderful pulpy bit of equatorial heaven.

The fruit is peeled and the seeds scooped away, and thrown into the blender. Two potato-sized fruits are enough for a 75cl pitcher of juice.
I also used the juice of two limes, and sugar to taste.
I like it tart, so I used about two tablespoons of sugar.

Blend it up and throw it in the freezer to chill.

I used vodka this time, but I think this might also be very good with rum.

Very delicious!

Tamarind is said to have anti-oxidant properties, and is used traditionally for iron deficiencies in order to "tambah darah" ("add blood"), although I don't know if there is any truth to that.

It is also very high in fiber, so for those of us not wishing to have a full on health drink experience in addition to our booze, one might consider straining the pulp!

I was able to buy sweetened tamarind juice from Salvadorean markets in California when I lived there. This fruit was brought to Central America at some point as a plantation crop, but it never really caught on in the states, as far as I know.

It is called tamarindo in Salvadorean and Costa Rican bodegas and restaurants.

If you ever get and chance, and are in the mood for tropical sweetness with a twist, I absolutely recommend this.

Cheers!

Palmwine Drunkard · Post by **Palmwine Drunkard** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 10:26 am

Ah, c'mon!
Be adventurous!
It's great!

Post by **Badfellow** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 10:38 am

A Sumatra Sling?

Palmwine Drunkard · Post by **Palmwine Drunkard** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 11:40 am

Badfellow wrote:A Sumatra Sling?

Definitely an improvement on a Singapore Sling!

Those are truly nasty without bite.

When I first ordered a Singapore Sling in Singapore, my barmaid told me: "This won't be you're kind of drink"!

She knew from my prior drinking habits, that I wouldn't like it.

Even Mrs. Palmy didn't care for the Sling!

In any case, no comparison!

Sweet fresh juice cut with lime and Vodka or Rum.

(The Sling is a different Thing!)

So much better!

Hey mister Badfellow!

Join us someday!

Peace and Love to you all!

Gin McGuinness · Post by **Gin McGuinness** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 6:03 pm

Slings are nasty... even in the Raffles Long Bar where they were first concocted. I've been playing around with juices lately and find that I like guava/orange/mango with vodka alot. Of course the papaya/pineapple wasn't bad either. But the best is still the homemade limeades. You can do all kinds of wonderful drinks; some even with gin.

Palmwine Drunkard · Post by **Palmwine Drunkard** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 6:42 pm

Gin McGuinness wrote:Slings are nasty... even in the Raffles Long Bar where they were first concocted. I've been playing around with juices lately and find that I like guava/orange/mango with vodka alot. Of course the papaya/pineapple wasn't bad either. But the best is still the homemade limeades. You can do all kinds of wonderful drinks; some even with gin.

But no one has tried tamarind but me?

It is so delicious, especially with lime and sugar, but perhaps too local, hmmm?

Cheers!

Post by **Badfellow** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 7:23 pm

I found some frozen tamarind pulp today, thinking of you Sir Palmwine, at a shiny new mercado on the southside of town. Tonight feels like a martini night, but tomorrow I bust out the blender and go native, or-uhhh ex-pat, or, well, you know. Tamarind ho!

Gin McGuinness · Post by **Gin McGuinness** » Sat Aug 19, 2006 3:40 am

Badfellow wrote:I found some frozen tamarind pulp today, thinking of you Sir Palmwine, at a shiny new mercado on the southside of town. Tonight feels like a martini night, but tomorrow I bust out the blender and go native, or-uhhh ex-pat, or, well, you know. Tamarind ho!

When the f*ck was he knighted?!!?!?!? BESIDES the fact that he's an AMERICAN!!!!!! sorry... just came back from the NZ/OZ Bledisoe cup.... I'm a little trashed.

Post by **Badfellow** » Sat Aug 19, 2006 9:30 am

Gin McGuinness wrote: When the f*ck was he knighted?!!?!?!? BESIDES the fact that he's an AMERICAN!!!!!! sorry... just came back from the NZ/OZ Bledisoe cup.... I'm a little trashed.

He's got a title and everything, given by me after his historic invasion of Slingawhore. But I believe the two of you are something to the effect of Co-Commanders to the Forces of His Royal Drunkenness FKR in the South East Asian Sector.

And on the subject of these drinkies we all seem to enjoy, a nice dry gin and that homemade limeade you speak of is amongst the best of the best. The two are a sublime compliment to each other made trifecta by a balmy evening.

There's a question here, but I think it deserves a seperate topic here in the Area 51 Drink Lab.

Gin McGuinness · Post by **Gin McGuinness** » Sat Aug 19, 2006 9:46 am

Badfellow wrote:
Gin McGuinness wrote: When the f*ck was he knighted?!!?!?!? BESIDES the fact that he's an AMERICAN!!!!!! sorry... just came back from the NZ/OZ Bledisoe cup.... I'm a little trashed.
He's got a title and everything, given by me after his historic invasion of Slingawhore. But I believe the two of you are something to the effect of Co-Commanders to the Forces of His Royal Drunkenness FKR in the South East Asian Sector.

And on the subject of these drinkies we all seem to enjoy, a nice dry gin and that homemade limeade you speak of is amongst the best of the best. The two are a sublime compliment to each other made trifecta by a balmy evening.

There's a question here, but I think it deserves a seperate topic here in the Area 51 Drink Lab.

Are you married? Attached? Need a roommate? I think that's brewtiful!

Palmwine Drunkard · Post by **Palmwine Drunkard** » Sat Aug 19, 2006 7:36 pm

Badfellow wrote:I found some frozen tamarind pulp today, thinking of you Sir Palmwine, at a shiny new mercado on the southside of town. Tonight feels like a martini night, but tomorrow I bust out the blender and go native, or-uhhh ex-pat, or, well, you know. Tamarind ho!

So tell us what you think when you try it!
I seriously recommend lime juice too, it makes it mouth-watering.

I await your appraisal!

Try it with rum!!

Cheers!

Palmwine Drunkard · Post by **Palmwine Drunkard** » Sat Aug 19, 2006 7:41 pm

Gin McGuinness wrote:
Badfellow wrote:I found some frozen tamarind pulp today, thinking of you Sir Palmwine, at a shiny new mercado on the southside of town. Tonight feels like a martini night, but tomorrow I bust out the blender and go native, or-uhhh ex-pat, or, well, you know. Tamarind ho!
When the f*ck was he knighted?!!?!?!? BESIDES the fact that he's an AMERICAN!!!!!! sorry... just came back from the NZ/OZ Bledisoe cup.... I'm a little trashed.

But I make no strategic decisions without the explicit concurrence of
My Lady of the Tropics.

Peace and Love to you all!

Post by **Badfellow** » Sun Aug 20, 2006 10:44 am

Palmwine Drunkard wrote:
So tell us what you think when you try it!
I seriously recommend lime juice too, it makes it mouth-watering.

I await your appraisal!

Try it with rum!!

Cheers!

Results (with minimal hangover):

*Tamarind pulp/juice + Bombay Gin, shaken, w/ Tomatillo Garnish (strange but good)

Tamarind + SJ Rum and wedge of lime, on the rocks (ding, ding, ding! we have a winner!!!) A good suggestion on your part.

Still, my friend, I have a weakness for the pineapple. There's something narcotic to me about the flavor. That and fresh strawberries, they actually make me feel high in a sense. Oh, and good dark chocolate. And booze, and a couple of other things as well.

Wasshail!

Palmwine Drunkard · Post by **Palmwine Drunkard** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 5:15 am

Badfellow wrote:
Palmwine Drunkard wrote:
So tell us what you think when you try it!
I seriously recommend lime juice too, it makes it mouth-watering.

I await your appraisal!

Try it with rum!!

Cheers!
Results (with minimal hangover):

*Tamarind pulp/juice + Bombay Gin, shaken, w/ Tomatillo Garnish (strange but good)

Tamarind + SJ Rum and wedge of lime, on the rocks (ding, ding, ding! we have a winner!!!) A good suggestion on your part.

Still, my friend, I have a weakness for the pineapple. There's something narcotic to me about the flavor. That and fresh strawberries, they actually make me feel high in a sense. Oh, and good dark chocolate. And booze, and a couple of other things as well.

Wasshail!

Hmmm...
Perhaps tamarind, pineapple, lime and rum / vodka?

I'll try this next chance I get, and report back.

Thanks for indulging in a "strange and bitter fruit"!

Cheers!

MeanOldLady · Post by **MeanOldLady** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 3:35 am

Palmwine Drunkard wrote:Ah, c'mon!
Be adventurous!
It's great!

had my computer not blown up, i'd have responded to this much sooner. i endorse the use of tamarind juice/tamarindo for all purposes, particularly those involving cocktails. i've mixed tamarindo with several things, vodka and rum included, but never thought to add lime. i usually don't make drinks at home that include garnishes or fruit juices, and not because i don't enjoy them, but because i'm too much of a lazy ass to make anything that involves slicing, or squeezing or shaking. i take a glass and pour booze into it, and sometimes i get adventurous and pour in a non-alcoholic liquid as well. so on that note, going to the mexican store for some tamarind is now officially on my list of errands, so i'll probably try this in about 3 weeks.