Add a tamarind twist to your dishes with these recipes - Hindustan Times
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Add a tamarind twist to your dishes with these recipes

Hindustan Times | By, Mumbai
Oct 09, 2015 03:23 PM IST

Many childhood memories are associated with tamarind; our expert chef and a reader show you how to add that tangy twist to your recipes

Whether in the Sindhi kadhi from north India, or the soupy rasam from the south, tamarind is an important ingredient in all Indian kitchens. Mixed with jaggery, tamarind chutney becomes an important part of most of our street food.

Baked fish with tamarind sauce at Vila Vandre, Bandra (W), Mumbai(Kalpak Pathak/ HT)
Baked fish with tamarind sauce at Vila Vandre, Bandra (W), Mumbai(Kalpak Pathak/ HT)

Though this ingredient has been around for centuries, chefs across the globe are finally waking up to its unique qualities. They are adding a bit of tamarind to their cake batters for a little bit of zing. Here are two delicious recipes made using tamarind, for you try at home.

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Baked fish with tamarind sauce

Recipe by Chef Aloysius Dsilva of Villa Vandre, Bandra

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Serves: Two

Ingredients

- For marinating the fish

* Lemon Juice: 60ml (two lemons)

* Garlic: 80g

* Green chilli: 40g

* Ginger: 30g

* Olive oil: 100ml

- For tamarind sauce

* Curry leaves: 12 to 13

* Green chilli: 4/5 numbers (30g)

* Tamrind: 60g

* Onion: 200g

* Coconut milk: made of one whole coconut

* Poppy seeds: 50g

* Cashew nut: 50g

* Thai fish sauce: 30ml

Chef Aloysius Dsilva at Vandre Villa in Bandra (W), Mumbai (Kalpak Pathak/HT)
Chef Aloysius Dsilva at Vandre Villa in Bandra (W), Mumbai (Kalpak Pathak/HT)

Method

- To marinate the fish

-- Combine all ingredients

--Blend in food processer

--Apply the marinade and leave it for four hours

* Chef’s note: Do not add any salt during the marination procedure as it dehydrates the fish

- For tamarind sauce

-- Crackle curry leaves and green chilli

-- Sauté chopped onion until translucent & add the sugar

-- Add tossed poppy seeds and cashew nuts

-- Allow to cool

-- Add fish sauce, coconut milk & tamarind pulp. Blend in food processer

-- Pass blended sauce through strainer

-- Adjust seasoning with salt & pepper

- Bake the fish

-- Take marinated pieces of boneless fillets of Ravas or Surmai

-- Heat heavy bottom pan & grill fish for a minute (on each side) to seal fish

-- Place in baking tray and cook in pre heated oven at 200 degree Celsius for 12 minutes and allow it to rest for five minutes

-- Before serving, heat up the sauce, place the baked fish in the centre, and pour sauce all over it.

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Chicken curry with tamarind

Recipe by Laura Maria Lima

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Serves: Six

Ingredients

* Chicken: 1kg

* Medium onion (roughly diced, for grinding): Four

* Small onion (finely sliced, for seasoning): One

* Tamarind paste: ½ tbsp

* Dates (pitted): three

* Bafat powder (Mangalorean spice mix): 2 and ½ tsp

* Garlic: 10 cloves with skin

* Ginger: ½ inch

* Sugar: 1tsp (optional)

* Coriander leaves: 2 tbsp

* Salt to taste

* Oil: 2tbsp

* Ghee: 1 tsp (optional)

* Medium sized potatoes: Two (optional)

Method

-- Cut the chicken into medium sized pieces, wash and drain. Peel the potatoes and cut them into roughly 1 cm thick slices.

-- Grind the four onions, tamarind paste, dates, bafat powder, ginger and garlic.

-- In a large wok heat cooking oil and add ghee (just for the fragrance and flavour). Fry the finely sliced onions till they turn pink. Add the ground masala and fry on slow flame till the smell of raw onion disappears (this can take about four to five minutes.

-- Add half a cup of water to the container used to grind the masala and use that water in the gravy. Add in the potatoes and salt to taste and allow it to cook for about three-four minutes.

-- Add the chicken and cook on a slow flame, toss in half the coriander leaves when the chicken is half cooked and garnish with the remaining half when the chicken is completely cooked.

-- There is no need to add any extra water for the gravy as the chicken will leave its stock. The gravy needs to be thick

-- Serve hot with rice, sanna (steamed savoury rice cakes) or chapatti (flatbread)

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  • ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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    Meenakshi Iyer writes on food, fashion, technology and health for Hindustan Times. She has worked with Indian Express, Mid-Day and Reuters in the past.

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