Not the most challenging challenge of 2022, but I’d never tried a tamarind drink before. It was a quick win to squeeze in on the last day of the year, helping me edge nearer to trying fifty-two things I’d never done before.
Tamari-What Now?
Tamarind fruit isn’t something we usually see on the supermarket shelves in the UK, and it was something I’d never drunk before.
The tamarind tree is originally from Africa, and can grow in other sub tropical regions. The tree produces fruit which look like brown bean pods and they have a taste that is both sweet and sour. I was intrigued as to how this would work in a beverage.
Fabulous Fruit
We’re all clued up on fruit being good for us, and the tamarind is no different. It’s full of antioxidants, is good for heart health and cholesterol, and it can help to protect the liver amongst many other health benefits.
I’m not really sure I was going to get all the benefits from it in the form I was drinking it. There seemed to be a fair bit of added sugar.
Tasting The Tamarind
Before I even lifted the glass to my mouth, there were two senses that were going to sample the drink first,
If I was going by sight alone, I’m not sure I would have tried even a tiny drop. My glass appeared to contain murky brown liquid – it looked a bit like river water.
On the positive side, it did smell quite fruity as I inhaled the lightly fragranced juice.
The first sip was similar to other fruit juice drinks, a little bit thick and pulpy. It tasted good though! It was a bit tangy, a sort of sweet and sour flavour, with an emphasis on the sweet from the sugar, and surprisingly quite refreshing.
Cheers!
Want To Try It Yourself?
You might be able to pick this up in your local supermarket. If not, have a look in any international supermarkets to see if they are stocking it.
You can pick up cans of the drink online too.
Cost Of Experience
My can of tamarind drink cost £1.75 in December 2022.
Prices will vary depending on where you shop.
Recommendations
Have it chilled.
- Looking for a cooling refreshing drink on a hot day? Why not give a tamarind drink a try?
This is definitely a case of not judging a book by its cover. Try not to let the colour put you off.
It might work well as a mixer. If I tried it again I might mix it with lemonade – although I’m not sure how appealing that would look.
It might also work well in a cocktail, although cocktails generally look quite pretty and eye catching, and I’m not sure the tamarind juice would create such a pleasing aesthetic.