tamarind

It’s way too easy to fall in love with the Malaysian dish Nasi Lemak, a coconutty rice bowl topped with crispy-crunchy crumbles of teeny little fried anchovies dressed in a sweet-spicy sambal. This recipe is from Kopitiam in New York, No. 6 on our Hot Ten list this year. Look for the smallest dried anchovies (ikan bilis) you can find: They’re known for their superior flavor and texture. We’ve provided a few options for dried chiles below, but any thumb-size red chile you can find at an Asian market will get the job done.

Nasi Lemak

dried paper lantern chiles, dried bird chiles, or dried chiles de árbol

vegetable oil

peanuts

anchovies

shallots,

garlic

Holland chiles, stems removed, halved lengthwise

sugar

jasmine rice

kosher salt

pandan leaves (optional)

coconut milk

eggs

½ English hothouse cucumber,

Soy sauce (for serving)

Paper lantern chiles

It’s way too easy to fall in love with the Malaysian dish Nasi Lemak, a coconutty rice bowl topped with crispy-crunchy crumbles of teeny little fried anchovies dressed in a sweet-spicy sambal. This recipe is from Kopitiam in New York, No. 6 on 2019’s Hot Ten list. Look for the smallest dried anchovies (ikan bilis) you can find: They’re known for their superior flavor and texture. We’ve provided a few options for dried chiles below, but any thumb-size red chile you can find at an Asian market will get the job done.

Bon Appétit

Chop paper lantern chiles into ½" pieces, discarding most of the seeds that fall out. Place in a small bowl and pour in boiling water to cover. Let sit 30 minutes to soften, then drain.

Meanwhile, bring oil and peanuts to a gentle simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat; cook, adjusting heat as needed, until peanuts are golden brown, 6–8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer nuts to paper towels to drain; set aside for serving. Immediately add anchovies to oil and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 2 minutes. Transfer to fresh paper towels; let cool. Set ¼ cup oil aside.

Pulse shallots, garlic, and ¼ cup fried anchovies (save remaining anchovies for serving) in a food processor until a smooth paste forms. Transfer to a medium bowl. Add paper lantern and Holland chiles to food processor (no need to clean) and pulse until very smooth and no visible pieces of dried chile remain. Transfer chile purée to a small bowl.

Heat reserved oil in a medium skillet over medium-high until shimmering. Add shallot mixture and cook, stirring, until slightly darkened in color and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Mix in chile purée and cook, stirring often, until it starts to stick to bottom of skillet, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Add sugar, tamarind concentrate, and ¼ cup water and cook, stirring often, until sambal is much darker in color and thickened, 25–35 minutes.

Do Ahead: Sambal ikan bilis can be made 1 week ahead. Let cool; cover and chill.

Place rice in a medium saucepan and pour in cold water to cover; swirl with your hands to rinse away some of the starch. Drain and repeat process 2 more times. Water should be just slightly cloudy at this point. Place rinsed rice back into saucepan and cover with 2½ cups cold water; stir in salt. Gather pandan leaves (if using) together and tie into a knot; add to pan. Bring rice to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cover pan and reduce heat to low; cook 18 minutes. Remove lid and stir in coconut milk. Cover, remove from heat, and let sit 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Carefully lower eggs into water. Cook 10 minutes, then transfer to a bowl of ice water and let cool. Peel eggs and cut in half lengthwise.

Combine sambal ikan bilis, reserved fried peanuts, and reserved fried anchovies in a medium bowl and toss to evenly coat. Scoop a generous ½ cup sambal mixture into a 12-oz. bowl. Top with 1½ cups rice and pack into bowl with a rubber spatula to compress. The bowl should be filled to the rim. Place a slightly larger bowl upside down over bowl of rice. Invert so larger bowl is now on the bottom; lift off smaller bowl. You should have a dome of rice and anchovy mixture nestled in the center of the larger bowl. Arrange 8 cucumber slices around rice dome, overlapping slightly to make a semicircle. Add 2 egg halves to side of rice with no cucumber slices; season yolks lightly with soy sauce. Repeat with remaining rice, sambal mixture, cucumbers, and eggs to make 3 more bowls.

Preparing tamarind paste is quite simple, and homemade paste has the added advantage of keeping for several months in the refrigerator, the result of its high acid content. Tamarind fruit comes in two forms: as blocks of fruit pulp or as whole fruit pods. If working with tamarind fruit pods, make sure they’re unripe, which ensures a stronger degree of sourness and less sweetness. And don’t forget to remove and discard the outer shell to use the pulp. Blocks of tamarind can be obtained from Indian and Asian grocery stores or online.

Tamarind Paste

tamarind fruit pulp (from a compressed block

water

Separate the tamarind into small chunks and place the fruit into a medium heatproof bowl. (If using whole tamarind pods, remove and discard the outer shell and use the soft fruit inside.)

Pour the boiling water over the tamarind, submerge completely, cover with plastic wrap, and let sit for 30 to 45 minutes. Stir the tamarind occasionally with a fork at first, then, as the water cools, rub the fruit between your fingers to separate it from the seeds. The mixture will turn thick and pulpy.

Set a fine mesh sieve over a medium bowl and pass the mixture through to remove any fibrous materials and seeds, pressing firmly with a large spoon to squeeze out as much liquid as possible and scraping the tamarind from the bottom of the strainer into the bowl. The final consistency should be thick, almost like ketchup. Transfer the tamarind paste to a clean jar or container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.

In this recipe, roasted potatoes are paired with classic flavors used in Western and Indian cooking: butter and garlic, the fruity acidity of tamarind and lime juice, and the sweetness of date syrup. The potatoes are sliced and cooked in a pot of salted water, which helps them develop a thin crust and creamy interior when roasted. They make a great side to almost any meal, and can easily take the place of a breakfast hash. The shallots here carry a milder bite, but a red onion can be substituted for a stronger taste. Do stick to tamarind paste, and avoid using thick, syrupy tamarind concentrates. They lack tamarind’s fruitiness and carry a noticeable artificial aftertaste.

Roasted New Potatoes With Garlic and Tamarind

Kosher salt

olive oil

cumin

unsalted butter, melted

garlic cloves,

tamarind paste (not concentrate)

date syrup, honey

lime juice

shallot,

scallions,

cilantro

green chile,

Heat oven to 425 degrees and place a rack in the top third of the oven.

Scrub the potatoes under running water to remove any grit or dirt. Slice the potatoes in half lengthwise and place them in a medium saucepan. Fill the saucepan with enough water to cover them by 1 inch. Stir in 1 teaspoon salt and bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil for another 6 minutes until easily pierced with a sharp knife but still firm.

Drain the water and place the potatoes in a large mixing bowl. Season with salt. Drizzle the oil and sprinkle the cumin over the potatoes, and toss to coat well. In a roasting pan or baking sheet lined with aluminum foil, spread the potatoes out, cut-side up. Roast on the upper rack of the oven, flipping halfway through roasting, until they turn golden brown and crispy, about 35 minutes.

As the potatoes cook, mix the butter and garlic in a small bowl. Two or three minutes before the potatoes are done, pour the butter-garlic mixture over the potatoes and turn off the oven. Return the pan to the oven to cook in the residual heat for 2 to 3 minutes, being careful not to let the garlic burn. Remove the pan from the oven, and transfer the potatoes to a serving bowl.

In a small bowl, mix the tamarind paste, date syrup and lime juice. When ready to serve, pour the mixture over the potatoes and toss to coat well. Top with the shallots, scallions, cilantro and green chile, if using. Serve warm.

Try this spicy lamb curry, so named as it was once cooked by the chefs working on the Indian railways in the 1900s. Lamb on the bone gives loads of flavour

Railway lamb curry

garlic cloves, crushed

ginger,

turmeric

leg of lambon the bone, cut into bite-sized pieces

curry leaves

onion, finely chopped

lamb stock

potato,

tamarind paste

coriander seeds

fennel seeds

cumin seeds

Kashmiri

Mix the garlic, ginger, turmeric and lamb together in a large mixing bowl, then leave the lamb to marinate in the fridge for 1 hr or preferably overnight.

Toast the spice mix ingredients in a dry frying pan for 12 mins over a low heat, stirring occasionally, until they release their aroma. Leave to cool, then grind to a fine powder using a spice grinder or <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/top-five-mortar-and-pestles">pestle and mortar</a>. Set aside.

Heat the oil over a medium heat in a heavy-based, large <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/five-best-saucepans">saucepan</a>. Add the curry leaves and onions, and fry for 15-17 mins, stirring well. As the onions begin to change colour, add the lamb and fry for 10 mins. Add the spice powder and turn the heat up slightly. Stir continuously for 5 mins. Pour in the stock and season to taste. Bring to the boil, then turn down to a simmer. Put the lid on and cook for 40 mins. Stir halfway through cooking.

Tip in the potato and continue cooking for 15 mins. Add the coconut milk along with the tamarind paste and simmer for 10 mins with the lid off to reduce. Serve warm with rice or roti. &nbsp;

Sweet and sour, this tamarind sauce is a flavorful Indian staple that's easy to prepare at home.

Sweet Tamarind Chutney Recipe

tamarind concentrate (see note)

jaggery sugar (see note)

black salt salt

cayenne pepper

ginger powder

Heat water over medium-high heat until just boiling. Add in tamarind concentrate and stir until completely incorporated. Add jaggery, salt, cayenne, cumin, and ginger. Stir until sugar and salt are completely dissolved.

Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until thickened to a point that it's slightly syrupy, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool for 10 minutes. Use immediately or transfer to an airtight container and store in refrigerator for up to 1 month. 

This recipe balances richness with a tart sweetness, and features a two-part approach to cooking the meat that yields complex flavor. Pork spare ribs are marinated, covered and baked until just tender. They’re then brushed with a glaze made with an invigorating combination of tamarind, ginger, nutmeg and scotch bonnet chile. You can finish the ribs in a hot oven or on the grill; the glaze caramelizes nicely either way. They are delightful as a finger food or as a main dish with practically any accompaniment, like <a href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021278-spicy-cucumbers-with-yogurt-lemon-and-herbs">this cool cucumber salad</a>.

Spicy Tamarind Pork Ribs With Scallions And Peanuts

baby back

dark brown sugar

garlic powder

cayenne

black pepper

kosher salt,

chile,

honey

ginger

nutmeg

lime zest (from about 2 limes)

scallions

peanuts, crushed (optional)

Spicy Tamarind Pork Ribs With Scallions and Peanuts

Heat the oven to 300 degrees. Spread the ribs out on a cutting board and pat dry with paper towels.

In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup brown sugar with the garlic powder, cayenne, pepper and 1 tablespoon salt. Rub both sides of each rack with the brown sugar mix. Wrap each rack in a double layer of foil and crimp along the edges to seal. Place on a baking sheet and cook until the meat is tender but not falling off the bone, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Allow to cool before unwrapping, being careful of rising steam. Remove the ribs from the foil packets and cut each rack into 4- to 6-rib portions.

While the ribs bake, add the remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar with the tamarind concentrate, chile or chile paste, honey, ginger and nutmeg to a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir to combine, bring to a slight simmer and cook until sauce is slightly reduced and thickened, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat, add the lime zest, season to taste with salt and allow to cool completely.

Finish the ribs on the grill (or proceed to Step 5 to finish the ribs in the oven): Heat a gas or charcoal grill to medium. Brush the ribs on both sides with a thin coat of the glaze. Place the ribs on the grill, turning often, until the glaze is sticky and charred in spots, 5 to 7 minutes.

Finish the ribs in the oven: Line a baking sheet with foil and arrange the ribs, meat-side up. Brush the tops with glaze and broil until glaze is set and caramelized in spots, 3 to 5 minutes.

Brush again with the glaze and transfer the ribs to a board. Slice into individual ribs. Transfer ribs to a platter and top with scallions and crushed peanuts.

Though mango and lime pickles are easy to find on the shelves of Indian grocery stores, home cooks in India pickle all varieties of fruits and vegetables, including tomato. India’s pickle queen, Usha Prabakaran, documented this tomato pickle, flavored with a generous amount of fennel seeds. It’s capable of adding flavor and heat to breakfast, lunch or dinner. Asafoetida has a pungent smell out of the jar, but mellows as it cooks and gives the pickle its personality — don’t skip it!

Tomato and Fennel-Seed Pickle

peanut oil

asafoetida powder

black mustard seeds

sour or unripe Roma tomatoes (about 5), roughly chopped

tamarind juice (see Note)

red chile powder, paprika

salt

white vinegar

In a large saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon peanut oil over medium. When the oil is hot, add the fennel seeds and asafoetida and lightly toast, shaking the pan occasionally, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove and grind into a powder using a food processor or mortar and pestle.

In the same pan over medium heat, add another tablespoon of peanut oil and the mustard seeds and give them a minute to crackle and pop. Add the tomatoes and stir-fry for a few minutes until tomatoes begin to soften, then scrape out into a bowl.

Heat another tablespoon of oil in the same pan; pour in the tamarind juice and bring to a boil. Let it simmer until it thickens, about 2 minutes, then stir in the tomato, toasted seed mixture, chile powder, turmeric, salt, vinegar and remaining peanut oil. Continue cooking for a few minutes until the mixture becomes jamlike and the oil separates.

Transfer mixture to a jar and cool completely. Once cool, the pickle is ready to eat, and lasts for three months in the fridge. Serve a spoonful alongside rice and yogurt, flatbread, vegetables or any other foods.

Maybe don't order pad Thai this weekend and make it yourself? Here's a recipe to offer both an excellent facsimile of what's available from your favorite Thai place and the satisfaction that comes with having made the meal at home. This dish may introduce some new ingredients to your pantry (fish sauce and tamarind paste), and if you’re a parent, it might become a family favorite.

Pad Thai

rice noodles

fish sauce

broccoli florets

carrot, thinly sliced

canola oil

shrimp,

eggs,

scallions, thinly sliced

bean sprouts

lime,

Sesame seeds

Red pepper flakes (optional)

Place the noodles in a bowl and cover with cold water. Let sit for 1 hour. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the tamarind paste, fish sauce, sugar, lime juice and 1/4 cup water; set aside. Lightly steam the broccoli and carrot; set aside.

Drain the noodles. Set a wok over high heat for 1 minute, then add the oil and heat until almost smoking. Add the garlic and ginger; sauté for 30 seconds. Add the shrimp and sauté until almost cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to a plate, leaving the oil in the pan.

Add the noodles and stir-fry for 1 minute. Pour in three-quarters of the tamarind sauce and toss to coat the noodles. Add more sauce if needed. Cook until the noodles are al dente, then push them to one side of the wok and scramble the eggs in the remaining space. Add the shrimp, broccoli, carrot, scallions, bean sprouts and half the peanuts. Toss to mix. Divide among 4 plates and garnish with the remaining peanuts, the cilantro, lime wedges, sesame seeds and (for brave children) red pepper flakes.

This recipe, adapted from the chef Tom Cunanan of Bad Saint in Washington, D.C., really needs fresh white rice when you serve it. It serves as the plain, blank canvas for all the tartness of the tamarind and the richness of the ribs. At Filipino meals, it’s quite common to have a variety of sawsawan – sauces and condiments on the table at mealtime. The idea is for everyone at the table to customize their dishes exactly to their liking.

Pork Sinigang

St. Louis-style pork ribs,

shiitake mushroom caps

black peppercorns

bay leaves

white onion, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)

Roma tomatoes,

long pepper

tamarind pulp

Thai eggplant,

beans

watermelon radishes

Wash ribs and pat dry with paper towels. Season generously with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Snap or pinch off any remaining stems of the dried shiitake mushroom caps and discard. Process mushroom caps to a fine powder in a food processor; you should have 1 1/2 cups of mushroom powder. Set aside.

Tie the peppercorns and bay leaves in a sachet made of loose cheesecloth and set aside.

In a large Dutch oven or large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat, add oil and sauté the onion, garlic, tomatoes and long pepper. After the onions have softened and the tomatoes have started to release their juices, reduce heat to medium and stir in the mushroom powder and 1 cup water. Cover and cook for 3 minutes.

Add pork ribs to the pot and stir to combine with aromatics. Cover and cook for 3 minutes.

Add 9 cups water and the sachet containing the peppercorns and bay leaves.

Put tamarind pulp in a fine mesh sieve and submerge sieve in pot. Cover and bring to a boil. Once the pot has reached a boil, break up the tamarind pulp with a wooden spoon. It should have softened considerably. As you’re breaking it up, take care to keep it contained in the sieve.

Reduce heat to a low simmer and cook ribs for about 60 to 75 minutes, or until the meat is soft and pulls easily off the bone. Meanwhile, keep the pot covered, removing cover only to skim foam off the top, as necessary, and to periodically stir the tamarind pulp in the sieve to help release its tartness. To increase the tartness of the broth even more, force pulp through the sieve with the back of a wooden spoon. Once broth has reached the desired level of tartness, remove the sieve from the pot and discard the tamarind solids. (Depending on the taste of the cook, the tamarind pulp may be removed well before the ribs are tender.) Season broth with salt to taste.

Add eggplant and okra; cover and cook for 5 minutes. Add long beans and radishes; cover and simmer for 3 more minutes. Check the seasoning of the broth and adjust, if necessary.

Turn off heat and discard the sachet. Ladle into bowls, and serve immediately with steamed jasmine rice. Put fish sauce in a small bowl on the table for people to add to their soup, as desired.

Chef Preeti Mistry’s dahi puri, filled with black chickpeas and potato hunks and drizzled with spiced yogurt and chutneys, are perfect party snacks.

Dahi Puri

black chickpeas,

potatoes

tamarind concentrate (such as Swad)

Tbsp. date syrup

tsp. finely chopped, peeled ginger

Tbsp. chaat masala, divided,

yogurt

Vegetable oil (for frying; about 8 cups)

7-oz. packet pani puri

Scallion Chutney

red onion, finely chopped

mint

8-oz. package thin sev

deep-fry thermometer

“These are the best party snacks. They’re light, and they look really nice with crunchy sev and different chutneys on top,” says chef Preeti Mistry of this chickpea-and-potato-filled chaat. They call for black chickpeas in this recipe—Mistry recommends Rancho Gordo’s desi chana—which lend a nuttier flavor than the larger, tan garbanzo beans. Pigeon peas or black-eyed peas work well as a substitute. Kala namak, or black salt, which Mistry describes as having a sulphuric smell and an umami kick, should be used in place of kosher salt if you have it.
To serve, Mistry suggests encouraging folks to have fun scooping the chickpeas and potato hunks into the puris, then drizzling spiced yogurt, chutneys (like this one), and garnishes over them.
Find more of chef Preeti Mistry’s Holi party recipes here.

Place chickpeas in a medium saucepan and pour in water to cover by 2"; season with salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally and adding more water as needed to keep covered, until tender and very creamy, 45–60 minutes. Drain.

Meanwhile, combine potatoes and turmeric in another medium saucepan and pour in water to cover by 2"; season with salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender, 8–10 minutes. Drain.

Purée tamarind concentrate, date syrup, ginger, 2 Tbsp. chaat masala, 1 tsp. cumin, 1 tsp. red chili powder, and ¼ cup cold water in a blender until smooth. Season tamarind chutney with salt.

Mix yogurt, 2 Tbsp. chaat masala, remaining 2 tsp. cumin, and remaining 2 tsp. red chili powder in a small bowl to combine; season with salt.

Pour oil into a large pot to come 3" up sides and fit with thermometer. Heat over medium until thermometer registers 350°. Working in batches, slip 6–10 puris into oil and fry, turning with a slotted spoon, until golden and puffed, about 30 seconds. Transfer puris to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet.

Break open puri on one side and fill each one with 1 Tbsp. chickpeas and 1 Tbsp. potatoes. Transfer to a platter; drizzle with spiced yogurt, tamarind chutney, and Scallion Chutney. Scatter red onion, cilantro, mint, and sev over and sprinkle with more chaat masala.

Roasting, then grinding masala adds a depth of flavor to these chicken wings from chef Preeti Mistry. 

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