Tamarind: how to use it, names, nutrition and dishes

In the kitchen

How to use tamarind

Typical ways to cook or use it

Boil simmer
Stew

Goes well with

dried fruit

Flavour

Taste and texture

Taste, raw profile of tamarind

Sweet3

Sour3

Salty0

Bitter0

Umami0

Nutrition

What 100 g of tamarind holds

Per 100 g, raw. Averages from USDA; real values vary by variety, season and growing conditions.

Protein 4%Fat 1%Carbohydrate 95%of the macronutrients by weight

Nutrition per 100 g of tamarind, raw
Energy	239 kcal · 1,000 kJ
Protein	2.8 g
Fat	0.6 g
of which saturated	0.27 g
Carbohydrate	63 g
of which sugars	39 g
Fibre	5.1 g
Sodium	28 mg
Cholesterol	0 mg

Nutrition per 100 g of tamarind, raw: minerals and vitamins
Potassium	628 mg
Calcium	74 mg
Iron	2.8 mg
Magnesium	92 mg
Zinc	0.1 mg
Vitamin C	3.5 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)	2 µg
Folate	14 µg

Canned

Protein 1%Fat 1%Carbohydrate 99%of the macronutrients by weight

Nutrition per 100 g of tamarind, canned
Energy	57 kcal · 240 kJ
Protein	0.09 g
Fat	0.12 g
Carbohydrate	15 g
of which sugars	13 g
Fibre	0.5 g
Sodium	7 mg
Cholesterol	0 mg

Nutrition per 100 g of tamarind, canned: minerals and vitamins
Potassium	27 mg
Calcium	10 mg
Iron	0.75 mg
Magnesium	4 mg
Zinc	0.02 mg
Vitamin C	7.1 mg
Folate	1 µg

Source: USDA FoodData Central (foods 167763, 167786), public domain. Minerals and vitamins are listed only where USDA measured a non-zero amount.

Around the world

Where tamarind is cooked

18 dishes in the catalogue use tamarind. Here is where they come from.

Dishes by continent

Asia18

Countries whose dishes use it most

Indonesia 18

Counts are catalogued dishes from each country that list tamarind among their ingredients.

Origins

Native to: Africa
First cultivated: in Africa

The 600s
Jewish merchants brought tamarind to the Middle East along the Silk Road.
The 1500s · Mexico, Central America and South America
Spanish and Portuguese colonists introduced tamarind to Mexico, Central America and, to a lesser extent, South America.

On the table

Dishes made with tamarind

18 dishes in the catalogue use it.

Klatak Satay
Indonesia
Otak-otak
Indonesia
Gado-gado
Indonesia
Nasi langgi
Indonesia
Kikil satay
Indonesia
Lotek
Indonesia
Rujak kuah pindang
Indonesia
Tanggo-tanggo
Indonesia
Ayam tangkap
Indonesia
Pallumara Ikan Sunu
Indonesia
Dendeng
Indonesia
Urap
Indonesia
Sour Fish Soup
Indonesia
Konro Soup
Indonesia
Pempek
Indonesia
Pempek Kapal Selam
Indonesia
Pecel
Indonesia
Asem satay
Indonesia

Dish lists come from Wikidata; a dish counts when its recorded ingredients include tamarind.

Good to know

Diet and allergens: tamarind in detail

These notes describe the plain ingredient. Packaged and prepared products vary, so read the label; for allergies and medical diets ask a doctor or dietitian.

Allergens: None of the 15 listed allergens foundChecked and not found: soy, eggs, fish, milk, lupin, wheat, celery, sesame, mustard, peanuts, molluscs, sulphites, tree nuts, crustaceans, gluten cereals.
Animal origin: No animal ingredients foundChecked and not found: egg, fish, meat, dairy, honey, insect, gelatin, poultry, bone char, shellfish, other animal, animal fining, animal rennet.
Gluten: None
Alcohol: None
Caffeine: None
Pork: None