tamarindo beef tongue soup

2020-03-31

Tamarind is the bean-like fruit from the Central American tamarindo tree. It can be prepared from scratch, but the beans are quite pricey in the US and it's a chore to prepare it.

Tamarind is available as a puree concentrate, as an apple-dip paste and as an Indonesian instant-soup package. My favorite is the candy-apple paste. It keeps forever and is easy to measure to taste.

processed tamarind:

Pic1: puree
Pic2: paste
Pic3: instant soup

The puree can be purchased online.
The apple-dip paste is my preferred and available at our local Peppers grocery store.
There's also a not-so-hot variety.
Be very careful with the instant soup, it's mostly citric acid, extremely sour and no tamarind flavor that I can discern. Use carefully to taste. A quarter of the package is probably more than enough.
Of course, I keep forgetting and dump the entire package, and then have to dilute the soup. :-(

Yesterday’s beef tongue, reheated in a base of tamarindo paste and oriental stir-fry veggies.
Unlike tamarindo seafood soup, this is a meat-based soup. Quite different, yet also quite delicious.
See also: tamarindo beef tongue #2

Pic4: tamarindo beef tongue soup #1

Directions

2020-03-31

Pic5-7: dissolve tamarindo paste

Dissolve up to 1/2 lb tamarindo paste in 2-3 qts. warm water.
I prepared this with fully cooked beef tongue.
Optionally add beef tongue here, bring to a boil and and simmer 3-4 hrs, then peel and slice.