Tamarind juice is one of my favorite childhood drinks, it is easy to make, refreshing and helps beat the summer heat.

I have found different versions of this recipe, some were creative enough to make it into an alcoholic  cocktail, which I never attempted since I prefer it virgin. It is one of those stand alone drinks  that just doesn’t  need it. A chilled pitcher of Tamarind juice  can be quite refreshing and you can toss in slices of lime or lemons for extra freshness. For my recipe, I use Fiji Islands Natural Tamarind ( pictured below) It makes figuring out measurements, water to tamarind/juice ratio so much easier than when using the individual tamarind pods.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of tamarind paste (link attached )
• 1 cup of agave (or less, you can also use sugar, sweetener or honey) 
• 1 tbsp of vanilla extract
• 32 oz of water
• 1 oz of lemon or lime juice
• 5 oz of pineapple juice (optional)

Preparation:

Place the tamarind paste into a large bowl or pitcher, then pour in some of the water (10-12oz) gradually while stirring the paste. Leave it for about 10-15 minutes in order for the paste to soften and to completely dissolved.

Using a wooden spoon, break up the paste(if any), continue stirring as you add the remaining water. Using a sieve, filter the mixture to separate the pulp.

Now keep stirring as you add the remaining ingredients: pineapple juice, vanilla, lemon juice and agave. Place in refrigerator to cool or serve chilled with ice.

Enjoy and bon appétit!