Any good substitutes for tamarind in Beef Rendang?
I have seen recipes for Indonesian Beef Rendang that call for tamarind (here is one), but tamarind is a little difficult to find here in Japan. So I have two questions:
- What could serve as a substitute for tamarind in a Rendang recipe?
- And what does tamarind do for Rendang, exactly?
Best Answer
Tamarind gives a sour and slightly molasses note to food, including rendang. To replicate it, you thus need something sour, like lemon juice, and a dark sugar flavour, like black treacle, molasses, or dark brown sugar.
For your recipe I would add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of dark brown sugar.
Pictures about "Any good substitutes for tamarind in Beef Rendang?"
Quick Answer about "Any good substitutes for tamarind in Beef Rendang?"
Tamarind gives a sour and slightly molasses note to food, including rendang. To replicate it, you thus need something sour, like lemon juice, and a dark sugar flavour, like black treacle, molasses, or dark brown sugar. For your recipe I would add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of dark brown sugar.What can you use instead of tamarind?
A popular alternative is to use lime juice (or sometimes white wine or rice vinegar) mixed with an equal quantity of light brown sugar as a substitute for tamarind.What flavor is similar to tamarind?
1. Pomegranate Molasses. If you are using tamarind paste for its acidity and sour flavor, pomegranate molasses is the best alternative. The juice is thick and syrupy, without being too sweet.How do you thicken beef rendang?
Add one tablespoon of cornflour to two or three tablespoons of cold water and stir. Pour the mixture into the sauce and allow to simmer until the sauce begins to thicken.What can be used instead of tamarind in sambar?
You can use either raw mango (kachi keri) or kokum as substitute for tamarind while making sambhar and rasam. You can dice raw mango into small pieces and add to sambhar and cook until soft.Beef Rendang Recipe - Pai's Kitchen | Malaysian / Indonesian Recipe
More answers regarding any good substitutes for tamarind in Beef Rendang?
Answer 2
I'm not sure I agree with the addition of sugar to replicate the flavour of tamarind. Tamarind has a somewhat tart, sour flavour, it's not really sweet. It's a souring agent.
When I use tamarind, I use the dried blocks and break a part off, soak it, strain it and either use the liquid or reduce it to a thick paste.
I've also found that a few dashes of Worcestershire Sauce can impart a tamarind-type flavour without introducing any sweetness. After all Worcestershire Sauce does have tamarind in it, amongst other things so it may be a more convenient substitute.
I've used Worcestershire Sauce in a number of Indian dishes in this way with quite good results. I also cook beef rendang, but I've never used tamarind in it.
Answer 3
In a pinch, I've blended seedless raisins and lemon juice with enough water to get it runny and that has fooled most people.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Harry Dona, makafood, makafood, Ruslan Khmelevsky