Unsticking tamarind

Tamarind cooler

Tart-sweet tamarind is the essential tang in many Mexican, Indian, and Southeast Asian dishes. It's sold in many forms, including bricks of paste and prepared concentrates, in specialty produce sections and ethnic markets. The "fresh" fruit looks like big, dried, and cracked bean pods. Extract the paste around the seeds to create a liquid base for marinades, sauces, and the cooler here.