Tamarind sweet syrup for Shaved Ice | Raspados

Tamarindo or tamarind is a very sour fruit that is native to Africa but the largest consumers of this fruit are in Latin America and Asia. In Mexico you can find tamarind agua fresca, tamarind popsicles, tamarind candy with or without chili, and tamarind mole sauces. We love the stuff.  My family has trees in their backyards in Mexico, they grow well in tropical and subtropical areas without much need for attention.

The pods have a crispy outer layer with fibrous veins running along the chewy pulp that surrounds the hard black seeds. You can find these at any Latin, Indian, or Asian grocery stores. They sell them whole and dried in the produce section or you can buy them already peeled and compressed usually next to the canned coconut milk.

Making tamarind almíbar , or sweet syrup, for your shaved ice is very simple. If you want to know more about shaved ices or raspados see my post on Why do you need raspadoes in your life. If you start with the fresh pods you have to peel, de-vein and set in a pot to boil. If you start with the paste, you simply put the paste in the pot with water and boil. This will boil for about an hour on medium heat. Feel free to add more sugar or less. If you want it thicker, boil a little longer. If you want more of a runny syrup add more water or boil less time. You can also sieve all the seeds but we like to keep them in. You can also use this mix to make agua fresca. My favorite way to eat this is with Mezcal. 

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