Tamarind Paste for Pad Thai

fresheire

Hi,

I'm using this recipe for my Pad Thai - I want to get as close to Pad Thai from Diep at home takeaway. This is my first recipe that I am trying out. The problem I have is with the Tamarind Paste - I am not sure how to use it.

The one I have comes in a square block, it's quite hard and has all the lumps and bits of the fruit. I take I should mix it with water but it be added with all the big pieces in it to my dish ? It's a new thing in my kitchen and it's just doesn't look like something I would like to chew on.

Any tips/ideas ?

Morag

Reconstitute it in warm/hot water. The quickest way is to take a tablespoon of the paste and add half a cup of water and microwave it. In a minute or two you can have a sauce ready to be used in cooking.

fresheire

Morag wrote: »

Reconstitute it in warm/hot water. The quickest way is to take a tablespoon of the paste and add half a cup of water and microwave it. In a minute or two you can have a sauce ready to be used in cooking.

And do I use all of it, meaning even the big piecesof that fruit ?

Morag

If you find the fruit to big cut it.

the beer revolu

fresheire wrote: »

And do I use all of it, meaning even the big piecesof that fruit ?

No you want to sieve this tamarind water - those blocks usually have big pips in them - but try to squeeze as much out of the flesh as you can and push it through the sieve.
These two manage to make a 4 min 30 video on the simple subject but you get the idea.
Tamarind extract is much more convenient.

ebbsy

Leave the block in water overnight.

Then put it through the sieve the following day.

fresheire

That should sort me out - thanks all!

Morag

Is it a block of paste or a block of pulp fruit.
If it's past just add water, if it's pulped fruit then you have to sieve it.

Muahahaha

I want to perfect Pad Thai too. But am wondering is it a dish that would be suitable for cooking in large batches and then freezing for consumption weeks down the line ?

Curry Addict

we usually freeze the tamarind water in an ice cube maker so you can have it on hand to use when you like. Pad thai is nice and fast to make.

fresheire

I made the paste as advised and it was great - very creamy sauce like - it looked reach and blended well in the dish. Same as Muahahaha I am trying to perfect this dish. To me the one from Diep@home is the best - depending on the chef (as sometimes it seems bit dry). But with the recipe from thaitable.com I'm not getting near the Diep's flavour. It's very garlicy an chilli powder gives it a kick. I think I'm going to drop the chilli and garlic, leave shallots and add some more sugar and tamarind if needed. Hopefully I'll get somewhere near to my all time favourite.

Should I be using any stock with this dish, to make it more moist ? I find sometimes that if I add tamarind and fish sauce as per recipe it gets bit dryish and I don't have any "sauce" on the noodles.

BTW Curry_Addict - I tried the green curry and malaysian one too... absolutely loved it - please give more recipes!!!!!