Agua de Tamarindo {She Made/Ella Hace}

For this month's installment of She Made / Ella Hace, Heather (Girlichef) and I are cooking with Tamarind.  Tamarindos are sweet and sour pod-like fruit used to make sauces, Ponche, and almibar (syrup) for Nieve Raspada.  But the most popular use for Tamarindos here in Mexico is in Agua de Tamarindo.  Can you believe that in the 3 years since I started this lil' blog, I have yet to post my recipe for Agua de Tamarindo?  Unbelievable!

Agua de Tamarindo is the only Agua Fresca I remember drinking during our visits to Mexico when I was a little kid.  As soon as we'd cross the border into Sonora, my grandpa would stop at the same tiny restaurant in el centro (downtown) for lunch.  I don't remember what we ate, but I do remember the sweet and tangy Agua de Tamarindo.  All these years later, Agua de Tamarindo is still one of my favorites.

Whenever I make Agua de Tamarindo, I have to buy double the amount of Tamarindo, because Hubby, the kiddies, and I all love to snack on it like candy.

Agua de Tamarindo
(Tamarind Agua Fresca)

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. tamarind pods
• 8 cups water
• 3/4 to 1 cup sugar

Directions:

Making Agua de Tamarindo is very easy.  The most complicated step is peeling the tamarind pods, only because it's a little time consuming.  To peel the tamarind pods, just remove the hard outer shell, the stems and the strings.  If you can't remove all of the strings, don't worry.  They're easier to remove once the tamarind has been cooked. 

Place the peeled tamarind pods in a 3-quart saucepan with 8 cups of water.  Cover and simmer over medium heat for about 30 minutes.  Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.   Using the back of a large serving spoon or a potato masher, gently press on the cooked tamarind pods to break them up a bit.  Discard the seeds (if you want) and sweeten the water with sugar for one delicious version of Agua de Tamarindo.  Pretty simple, right?

But if you're like me and prefer your Agua de Tamarindo with a little more body, transfer the cooked tamarind and water in batches to a blender cup and puree for a couple of seconds.  (Just long enough to break up the tamarind, but not the seeds.)  Strain into a 4-quart (1 gallon) pitcher.  Pour in an additional 8 cups of water.  Taste for sweetness, adding more sugar, if needed.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.  Enjoy!!! 

Be sure to check out Girlichef's Tamarind Brandy Sour! 

Also sharing this post with My Legume Love Affair hosted by Girlichef.