下次您到达柠檬时为菜肴增添酸味的味道时，请尝试转向蛋tamarind。You’ll be in good company, joining the ranks of cooks from all over the world who add the pulp of this tropical fruit to a wide range of dishes—sauces, marinades, salads, stir-fries, even sorbets and cool, refreshing summer drinks. I think you’ll find, as I have, that the bit of prep work necessary to transform tamarind’s bean-like pods into a fruity-tart purée is quick and easy to do

Taking its English name from the Arabic,塔玛·印地语，meaning “Indian date,” tamarind is typically used in equatorial cuisines, such as Indian, Mexican, and Thai. If you’ve been to an Indian restaurant lately, chances are that a bowl of tamarind chutney hit the table not long after you were seated.

罗望子的味道有效但难以捉摸

With its distinct sweet-sour flavor, a little tamarind goes a long way. Depending on its context, tamarind can express a big, bold personality. It can also whisper its presence, providing a now-you-taste-it-now-you-don’t background for other flavors in a dish. Somewhat chameleon-like, tamarind changes its personality depending on the dominant flavors of the ingredients with which it shares billing. Supporting ingredients often include a hint of sugar, fresh chiles, aromatics such as garlic, ginger, and shallots, coconut milk, or a blend of some or all of the above.

找到最适合您菜肴的表格

根据您的住所，在普通的杂货店中可能很难找到罗望子。罗望子在许多专业市场上出售，尤其是在墨西哥，印度和东南亚市场。Adriana’s Caravan提供压缩的罗望子和罗望子浓缩物。

有几种形式的罗望子。每当我有几分钟的豪华时间时，我都更喜欢使用整个豆荚或压缩纸浆，因为我发现这些形式比其他形式更可靠地美味，风味更复杂。

Whole dried pods他们的坚硬，棕色的皮肤通常包装在玻璃纸袋中。将豆荚存放在一个凉爽的黑暗地方。要使用整个豆荚，请用手指将它们剥离，然后去除包围果实的坚固纤维（类似于“串起”豆的过程）。

要获得大约一杯可用的罗望子（足以让四人提供服务），请大约4-1/2盎司。在干豆荚中，从豆荚中取出水果（您应该有大约3盎司），然后将其浸泡约20分钟，然后在约1杯温水中浸泡。将浸泡的水通过细筛倒入碗中，然后将果肉穿过筛子将其压入浸泡水中（固体将类似于柔软的修剪泥）。搅拌以结合，转移到玻璃罐中，紧密密封并冷藏（最多一周）。

Compressed tamarindis sold in one-lb. blocks—pulp, seeds, and all. Unopened, it can be stored indefinitely in a cool, dark place. After opening, store it in the refrigerator; it will stay good for at least three months. I simply cut off the amount I want to use with a sharp, heavy knife.

To process, combine about 2 oz. of the pulp with 5 ounces hot water. Soak and strain the compressed tamarind as you would the whole pods. This yields about 3/4 cup sauce. If you want a very intense concentrate, soak the pulp, discard the soaking water and then push the softened pulp through a sieve.

冷冻，未加糖的果肉is usually packed in 14-oz. pouches. It’s especially useful for dishes where you want a thinner, less intense tamarind flavor. Well wrapped, the pulp keeps indefinitely in the freezer. I break it into 1- or 2-oz. pieces and store them in heavy-gauge zip-top bags for easy retrieval.

冷冻的罗望子花蜜is ready to use and is packaged in 12-oz. plastic bottles or cans. It’s already sweetened and ready to dilute for iced drinks. When combined with sweet citrus juices, the nectar becomes an excellent base for low-fat frozen desserts such as granitas or sorbets. I particularly like to combine tamarind with tangerine or pink grapefruit juice.

Sweetened tamarind syrupis ready to use. It’s best in iced drinks or as a topping for tropical sundaes.

罗望子浓缩物通常包装，也准备使用8盎司。塑料罐。这是一个厚实的深色糊状糊。这在沙拉敷料中效果很好，因为当用些醋或柠檬汁搅拌时，它很容易溶解。它是如此的高度集中，以至于您只需一小撮即可在酱汁中添加Zing。避免含有甜味剂和人造口味或颜色的浓缩物。

将罗望子的风味调整为您的口味

对于某些人来说，似乎太酸的可能是对其他人的正确性，因此，当您用罗望子（Tamarind）做饭时，您可能想减轻一些东西。逐渐加入糖，在达到正确的平衡时品尝。

While tamarind does pair beautifully with aromatics such as ginger, garlic, and chiles, I avoid combining herbs and tamarind in any form, other than adding a whiff of fresh cilantro to a tamarind-based soup at the last minute. I think the flavors become muddied, more becomes less.

罗望子味在口味时会变软

Besides adding flavor, tamarind delivers another bonus when it’s used in a marinade. The fruit’s natural acidity helps to tenderize tougher cuts of beef, breaking down the fibers in the meat. Marinated overnight in a tamarind-tinged liquid, beef becomes succulent and tender—a great technique for less expensive cuts. But be careful when marinating fish or chicken: if left in the marinade too long, the tamarind will begin to chemically “cook” it. Tamarind’s rich, brown color also deepens the color of a marinade, which can make a wonderful sauce when reduced.

将罗望子纳入您的烹饪的快速方法

• Add a spoonful or so of unsweetened pulp at the last moment to a mix of sautéed vegetables for a refreshingly acidic finish.
•溶解2汤匙。在2杯冷水中加入甜味的罗望子花蜜，加入冰和柠檬楔子，以供墨西哥式的阿瓜弗雷斯卡（Agua Fresca）。
•将罗望子浓缩物添加到新鲜的橘子或橙汁中，加糖以糖味，然后冷冻成清爽的格兰尼塔。
•用罗望子，柠檬汁，一点点红糖和橄榄油制作沙拉酱，适合苹果和腰果的强烈调味蔬菜。