Tamarind concentrate simplifies Asian cuisine

Many Asian cuisines build their flavours on the principle of harmonizing basic groups of tastes.

In China, for example, individual dishes, as well as whole menus, call for a delicate balancing act of five flavour groups: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and fragrant. The famous Chinese five-spice powder is so named for containing a representative from each category.

Some of these flavours are not so common in North America. With the exception of lemons, sour ingredients are rarely called for in Western cuisine. When encountered, they can be a shock to the tastebuds.

One such flavour surprise for many is the pleasant sourness of tamarind.

Pulp scraped from inside the large seed pods of the tamarind tree has been a staple in Asian countries for thousands of years. We are most likely to run into it hidden in HP Sauce or chutneys, and it is sometimes called for in curried dishes.

You can find tamarind pulp in the ethnic food section of some grocery stores. It is dark brown and stringy, resembling a cube of baking dates. The time-consuming task of extracting tamarind’s flavour from this pulp involves a lot of soaking and boiling and straining.

Fortunately, it is becoming easier to find commercially prepared tamarind extract. Ready to spoon right into your recipes, tamarind concentrate has the added bonus of being consistent in strength: a tablespoon replaces one cup of boiled tamarind liquid.

Sour flavours are a cornerstone in the cuisine of Thailand, and Thais often combine tamarind with limes to create a spectacular sourness, which offsets the fiery chilies they so love.

Hot and sour soup gives a gentle introduction for those unfamiliar with the taste of tamarind, and Thai hot and sour soups are also dark and fragrant with the scents of lemongrass and ginger. Adjust the amount of chilies to suit your heat preference.

Thai Hot and Sour

Tofu-Mushroom Soup

• 10 dried shiitake mushrooms

• 1 tsp. (5 ml) sesame oil

• 1 large onion, chopped

• 4 cloves of garlic, minced

• 6 cups (1 1/2 L) vegetable stock

• 2 fresh or dried chilies (or to taste)

• 1 inch ginger root, sliced

• 3 slices of lime peel

• 1 stalk of lemongrass, bruised and cut into 1-inch pieces

• 2 cups (500 ml) sliced white mushrooms

• 1/2 lb. (225 g) firm tofu, cut into strips

• 1 carrot, cut in thin rounds

• 1 cup (250 ml) fresh or frozen peas

• 1 tsp. (5 ml) tamarind concentrate

• 1 Tbsp. (15 ml) soy sauce

• bean sprouts and chopped green onion to garnish

Soak the dried mushrooms in 2 cups of warm water for 30 minutes.

Warm the oil in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat and sauté the onion and garlic until soft. Meanwhile, bring to the boil in a large pot the stock, chilies, ginger, lime peel and lemongrass. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer 20 minutes. Strain the liquid and discard the solids.

Drain the shiitakes, reserving their water. Discard the stems and cut into strips. Transfer the stock mixture back into its pot and add the shiitakes and soaking water, the white mushrooms, tofu, carrot, peas, tamarind concentrate, soy sauce, and the onion mixture. Return to the boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, covered, until the vegetables are just tender, about 7 minutes. Serve into individual bowls and garnish with bean sprouts and green onions.

Do you have a cooking question? Send it to Tracy.In.The.Kitchen@gmail.com.

Tracy Marks has worked as chef and baker in hotels, catering kitchens and restaurants for more than 15 years.

His column appears every Wednesday.