Dissecting the Pod

• Tamarind pods are brown on the outside when ripe. On the inside, they contain a reddish-brown pulp. The pulp is fibrous with one to 10 inedible seeds woven inside each pod. While the pod can be broken into when unripe and still green, the pulp will be extremely sour. For this reason, in Indonesia and Malaysia, tamarind is called "sour fruit." The ripened pulp still has a tart flavor, but it is much less sour.

Tamarind Paste

• Tamarind paste is tamarind pulp, pressed into brick form. You can buy it from specialty stores as well as Latin, Indian, Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian markets. To use tamarind paste, you will need to place the brick in a small amount of hot water for up to 15 minutes. This will break the brick down so it can be mashed into a paste. Push the paste through a fine mesh sieve, separating the juice from the pulp. The juice can be used as a base for soups and stews or as a marinade for meat.

Tamarind Concentrate

• Tamarind concentrate has a syrupy consistency. It is dark and thick, and sold in jars. Ready to use, the concentrate does not have to be soaked and strained. You may want to dilute it with water, depending on what you need for your dish. Tamarind also contains pectin, so it is used as a natural thickener in jams and jellies. The concentrate works well mixed into salad dressings and lentil or noodle dishes.

Tamarind Seasoning Mixes

• Tamarind is also sold whole in pod form. At home, you can make your own paste by extracting the pulp, and following the steps to simmer and strain it. It can then be mixed with oil, water, garlic, dried chilies, onions and tomatoes to make a recado which is an even more flavorful Mayan seasoning paste. You may also find packaged tamarind seasoning mix in stores. The mix is usually made with a mixture of tamarind, onion powder, sugar and spices and it is used to make broth for soups, particularly in the Philippines.