Should tamarind pulp go into Pad Thai sauce?
I'm making my own Pad Thai sauce and I'm not sure if I should strain out the tamarind pulp or if it can stay in the sauce. Or is there some type of prepared tamarind which dissolves into the sauce so there's nothing to strain?
Best Answer
The pulp is what you're actually trying to obtain from tamarind. What you should be trying to strain out is any seeds or any chunks too fibrous to be considered pulp. It is sometimes possible to add liquid and smash the tamarind several times to extract more and more (progressively diluted) pulp each time.
Pictures about "Should tamarind pulp go into Pad Thai sauce?"
Can you use tamarind pulp in Pad Thai?
Authentic Pad Thai is made with Tamarind pulp which comes in a block (size of a soap bar) which is then soaked in hot water, then pressed through a sieve to make tamarind puree. To make life easy, I use ready made tamarind puree which is sold at supermarkets here in Australia.What is tamarind used for in Thai cooking?
Chances are tamarind paste won't even be anywhere near the top of most people's lists. But in Thai cooking, tamarind paste is a powerful ingredient that's used to give certain dishes a distinct sour taste that other ingredients can't replicate.Does Thai use tamarind?
Tamarind, known in Thai as "makaam", is one of the most important ingredients in Thai cuisine. It is a staple in every Thai kitchen, and it plays a key role in popular dishes such as pad thai and papaya salad.What is Pad Thai sauce made of?
Traditional pad thai sauce includes fish sauce, vinegar, sugar and tamarind paste. Tamarind paste is not easily found at a regular grocery stores so I substituted rice vinegar. If you would like to use tamarind paste, substitute about 2 Tablespoons in place of the rice vinegar in this recipe.HOW TO USE TAMARIND PASTE FOR PAD THAI | EASY VEGAN RECIPES
More answers regarding should tamarind pulp go into Pad Thai sauce?
Answer 2
It's essential to get all the debris(seeds, large fibrous bits, skins etc) out of the pulp. I normally add a little hot water in a bowl with the block of pulp, be careful not to add too much or it'll end up watery - better to add more as you go, wash your hands thoroughly and break the pulp up by hand. Then strain out the seeds etc and it's ready to use.
You can buy ready to use Tamarind puree in shops but it's normally not a good.
There's more info on working with Tamarind pulp in the footnotes here(as well as a good Pad Thai recipe) http://chezpim.com/cook/pad_thai_for_beginners
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Farhad Ibrahimzade, fauxels, Lum3n, Karolina Grabowska