Ever wonder what makes Pad Thai so irresistable? This little jar holds the secret. And this single ingredient is the building block for so many delicious Thai recipes. It’s sweet and sour and has this mouthwatering quality that keeps you wanting more.
This wonderfully versatile ingredient is tamarind paste.
I could eat it with a spoon.
And may have. (Evidence above.)
When I first began researching Thai recipes and ingredients, I looked at lots of commercial Pad Thai sauces, and many of them didn’t even list tamarind paste as an ingredient. This is stunning. Because tamarind paste is where it’s all at in Pad Thai. If you want to make authentic Pad Thai at home, you’ll want to follow the 5 steps below. And once you’ve had Pad Thai made with pure tamarind paste, you’ll never go back to the store-bought stuff again.
Making tamarind paste is incredibly easy and takes only 15 minutes of hands-on time. It will keep for up 3-4 weeks in the fridge and can be frozen in ice cube trays or plastic freezer bags for 3-4 months.
Here’s how to do it:
1) Start with Tamarind Pulp
Okay, though a bit confusing, tamarind pulp is the starting point for tamarind paste.
Tamarind pulp comes in blocks like those shown below. Find them at specialty grocery stores and Asian / international markets (usually for less than $5) or you can purchase this brand online. The tough seeds and shells have been removed and the fruit is concentrated into these small packets. Though labeled “without seeds”, as you’ll see in a minute, they still contain inedible fibers which is why tamarind pulp needs a little TLC before you can use it for cooking.
Each of these blocks yields about 2 cups of tamarind paste (enough for many servings of Pad Thai!).
16 oz / 454 g Tamarind Pulp = 2 cups Tamarind Paste
It’s worth mentioning that, rather than starting with tamarind pulp, it is possible to start truly from scratch, with whole tamarind pods like those shown below and found here. The process is the same as what I’m about to show you (though they need to be broken apart into smaller pieces and soak in hot water for at least an hour). There’s very little “fruit” inside each pods, so starting with tamarind pulp gets you more bang for your buck, saves a ton of time, and yields equally great flavor.
2) Soak for 30 minutes
Place 16 oz of tamarind pulp in a glass bowl and add boiling water just to cover. Soak for 30 minutes.
What can I say…it’s not pretty. #foodbloggerproblems
3) Break Apart
Gently break the tamarind pulp apart with your hands and mash it so that the fruit (paste) starts to separate from the rough fibers. Leave the water in the bowl while you do this. If the tamarind pulp was just barely covered with water while it soaked in the step above, you should have the perfect amount of water to combine with the pulp. If the mixture seems water-logged, you can pour off a bit of the extra liquid.
4) Press through a Sieve
It’s a good idea to use a colander with large holes like the one shown below for this next step (a mesh sieve will work too).
Place the sieve over a mixing bowl and press to separate the tamarind paste from the fibers. I like to smoosh (that’s the technical term) the pulp through the sieve with a silicon spatula for best results.
The tamarind paste will separate from the fibers and collect on the other side of the sieve or in the bowl.
5) Discard fibers and store paste
Once you’ve separated as much of the paste as you can (note: add a bit more hot water to the fibers and press them through the sieve a second time if you think you can extract a bit more paste), discard the fibers and store the paste in a nonreactive container.
And there you have it! Delicious, fresh, super flavorful tamarind paste ready to use!
And boy do I have some delicious uses for it coming up! Stay-tuned….
We’re making Thai food here on the blog all month and would love for you to join us! Make or eat Thai food and share it on social media with #thaifoodmonth and #inquiringchef so we can find you. And check out all our Thai Recipes if you’re looking for a little inspiration.
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Jess, I am sorry but this looks totally disgusting, cant even imagine it tastes good, but will lean on your expertise as a chef on all matters food…so if I can get past the “look” of it just might try to do this.
Anyhow no posts of the girls this time?
You know we expect them each time you send us a post, that’s all there is to it!
I share those pix with the attorney who works across the hall from my office, he is a Grandpa now for past 18 months and soon to be one again this summer and he call the twins “those Thai babies….” which I think is so cute, however I told him that I had promised the new-born prince of Kate & what’s his name that one of your twin girls gets him, so his granddaughter will have to find her own royal prince! Stay well stay warm, heard some nasty weather in your part of the country, here in Michigan it’s just strange as usual
It’s not the most beautiful to photograph Maggie, but this stuff is SUPER tasty! I knew you’d have an eye out for those kiddos, so we’ve got a second post today with a little Molly and Clara shout-out. 😉
Hi Jess,
I appreciate your post because I’ve wanted to make pad thai for a long time! I even have a pack of tamarind in the cupboard, then got the willies about being able to extract the paste, but you make it look very easy.
It looks like you leave the water in the bowl and don’t discard it before mashing the tamarind?
It is surprisingly easy, Barb! I hope you’ll try it, especially since you have already have the tamarind on hand. It makes for some seriously delicious Pad Thai. I went back and edited Step 3 in the text so that the answer to your question is more clear. You’re right that I leave the water in the bowl when I mash the tamarind, as long as the water was just enough to barely cover the tamarind while it soaked (if you use a large bowl or the mixture seems very water-logged, do pour off a bit of the liquid before you finish mashing it).
Ok, thanks for clarifying, Jess – I will definitely do this and make the pad thai sauce!
Thank you so much for this lesson. I used a double boiler which did the job beautifully, and then spooned the paste into a freezer tray so that I have handy frozen portions.
Not a double boiler, sorry, it was a small steamer saucepan set
After soaking, try putting the tamarind through a food mill to separate the pulp from the seeds and sinew.
Great idea! Thanks for the tip Benjamin – I’ll definitely try that.
How long does this paste last in the fridge? Can you freeze it?
Hi Maria. I find that this keeps really well. I keep it in the fridge for 3-4 weeks and have never had any issues with spoiling, but it will definitely freeze easily for 3-6 months (just defrost in the fridge overnight before using).
I’m excited to make pad thai for the first time. Is there a big taste difference between making your own paste and store bought paste?
Hi Caroline – there is a difference in taste, but it’s not huge. Many restaurants that serve Pad Thai in the US likely use store-bought paste, so it may even taste more like the Pad Thai that most of us know. The most important step is just tasting the Pad Thai sauce once everything is combined. Adding a bit of sugar or lime juice can make store-bought paste taste great to me.
Can I put the paste in the blender first to help make the process of putting it through a sieve a little easier?
Heh, heh…looks like a new use for my foley mill, beyond making just apple sauce!
Yes – totally, Ed! A food mill is perfect for this!
I’ve been making this for a while and love it in a variety of dishes, especially to add flavour to stew (added while cooking in the slow cooker) and soups (add a dollop and mix in for taste). Of course I also throw together a pad thai sauce with it. But I am lazy and don’t do the seiving part – I just mash after the boiling water does its magic and have never found that to be an issue.
Grace – thanks so much for sharing that! I’ll try it your way next time.
Just FYI – You can make a lovely drink by taking the fibrous “leavings”, adding water, let it sit awhile stirring occasionally, strain add a touch of honey (also try lemon or mint or……) and drink! Refreshing, great for the digestive system and so yummy!