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Tamer Hindi (Tamarind Drink)

A glass pitcher and two glasses filled with tamer hindi a sweet and sour tamarind beverage.
Photo by Marlene Matar

This refreshing sweet and sour beverage—made with tamarind, water, and sugar—is popular during the month of Ramadan. The semi-dried tamarind paste used for tamer hindi can be purchased online or at Middle Eastern grocery stores.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Makes about 10½ cups

Ingredients

12 oz. (350 g) block of semi-dried tamarind paste
3 cups (700 ml) boiling water
3 cups (1 lb. 5 oz. or 600 g) sugar

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Separate the tamarind mass into chunks and place in a bowl. Cover with the boiling water and set aside for a few hours until the pulp dissolves in the water.

    Step 2

    Rub the tamarind pulp and seeds with your fingers, and add 3 cups (700 ml) cold water.

    Step 3

    Place the mixture in a fine mesh strainer set over a large bowl and press on the tamarind to extract all the juice.

    Step 4

    Transfer the pulp residue to a small bowl and add 2 cups (480 ml) cold water, rubbing the mixture with your fingers. Strain into the large bowl used above.

    Step 5

    Repeat the procedure a third time with 1 cup (240 ml) water.

    Step 6

    Add the sugar to the tamarind juice in the large bowl and stir to dissolve.

    Step 7

    Refrigerate and serve very cold with ice and water to dilute as desired (about ¼ cup or 60 ml water per 240 ml cup of juice).

Cook's Note:

After step 3, the sour juice can be used as a substitute for lemon juice in some recipes.

Cookbook cover of The Aleppo Cookbook by Marlene Matar.
From The Aleppo Cookbook: Celebrating the Legendary Cuisine of Syria by Marlene Matar. Copyright © 2021. Reprinted with permission from Interlink Books. Buy the full book from Amazon, Bookshop, or Simon & Schuster.
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