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Tamarind Drink

Also known as Tamarind Drink (Tsamiya Drink — Hausa)

Tsamiya Drink — made from the dried pulp of the tamarind pod (Tamarindus indica) — is one of the most beloved traditional drinks of Northern Nigeria. The tamarind tree is deeply embedded in Northern Nigerian landscape and food culture — its dried, intensely sour-sweet pulp has been used for centuries as a seasoning agent, a medicinal preparation and a drink base.

Tamarind Drink, Nigerian cooking

Ingredients

  • A big block of dried tamarind paste (the compressed dried tamarind available at markets and stores)
  • 6 to 7 glasses of warm water — for dissolving the tamarind
  • Sugar or honey to taste — tamarind is very sour and requires significant sweetening
  • A small piece of fresh ginger — optional, for additional warmth
  • A pinch of salt — a tiny pinch enhances the sweet-sour balance dramatically

Method

  1. 01

    Softening the Tamarind. Break the block of dried tamarind into pieces. Place in a bowl. Pour 6 glasses of warm (not boiling) water over the tamarind. Allow to soak for 20 minutes until the tamarind has softened completely and the water has turned a deep brown.

  2. 02

    Extracting the Pulp. Using your hands, squeeze and knead the softened tamarind in the water to dissolve as much of the pulp as possible. Pass through a fine sieve, pressing firmly with the back of a spoon to extract all the usable liquid. Discard the fibrous seeds and skin residue.

  3. 03

    Sweetening. The extracted tamarind liquid will be intensely sour and very thick. Add sugar or honey very generously to balance the intense tartness. Taste repeatedly, adding more sugar until the flavour is a pleasant balance of sweet and tart. Add grated ginger and a tiny pinch of salt.

  4. 04

    Diluting and Chilling. Add the additional glass of water to achieve a pleasant drinking consistency. Stir very well. Refrigerate until very cold.

  5. 05

    Serving. Serve over ice in tall glasses. The Tsamiya Drink should be a beautiful dark reddish-brown, very cold and perfectly sweet-sour.

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