Spring

Tamarind-Lime Cooler

by:
April 22, 2010
0
0 Ratings
Tamarind-Lime Cooler
  • Serves 6
Author Notes

I drank many a tamarind soda during hot childhood summers in Mexico, and created this much-less-sweet version with lime and agave nectar. The salty-spicy rim offsets these flavors and makes them shine. A tip: it's easier to squeeze limes, and they express more juice, if they're at room temp; also try rolling them on the counter first. Oh, and some tequila could slip in here, too... —gluttonforlife

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • Syrup
  • 3/4 cup fresh lime juice
  • 3/4 cup agave nectar
  • 1 tablespoon tamarind concentrate
  • seltzer
  • Chile Salt
  • Chile Salt
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon chile powder
Directions
  1. Combine lime juice, agave nectar and tamarind in a small saucepan. Whisk together over low heat, just to combine; about 2 minutes. Strain into a pitcher and chill.
  2. Stir the salt, sugar and chile powder together to combine well and mound on a small plate.
  3. Rub a juicy piece of lime around the rim of 6 glasses. Dip the rims into the Chile Salt to coat well. Fill the glasses with plenty of ice. Add 1/4 cup of the syrup to each glass and top off with seltzer. Stir well and garnish with a slice of lime.
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6 Reviews

lastnightsdinner
lastnightsdinner April 23, 2010
Oh, YUM.
 
testkitchenette
testkitchenette April 23, 2010
Drinking this while imagining that I am at the beach may be in order this weekend!
 
dymnyno
dymnyno April 22, 2010
This sounds sooo wonderful. A couple of years ago Bill Hamilton had a tamarind drink in his column "Stirred and Shaken" and I spent days trying to find tamarind. Now it seems to be readily available and I will find it and make this drink...the tequila version!
 
gluttonforlife
gluttonforlife April 23, 2010
You can also make this using the tamarind paste (with the seeds still in it), but the concentrate (in a little jar) saves some time and tastes quite good.
 
gluttonforlife
gluttonforlife April 22, 2010
I'll have to come see you in Guadalajara one of these days--I need to eat posole, drink tamarindo and gorge myself on cajeta!! I was just thinking that the flavor of my agave nectar reminded me of the pirulí candies I used to eat there...
 
wanderash
wanderash April 22, 2010
Oh my god gluttonforlife! I knew I liked your style- I am perfecting my tamarind cooler as we speak- chili salt and all. I think we are meant to have drinks together one day!