Fresh Tamarind Pulp

Ingredients

1pound (about 16 large) fresh tamarind pods—flexible ones with shells that flake off easily.

Instructions

Hold a pod in one hand, loosen the stem with the other, then firmly pull out the stem and all the runners that trail down between the shell and pulp. Peel off the shells. In a large (4-quart), non-aluminum saucepan, bring 1 quart water to a boil. Add the tamarind, remove from the heat and let stand until completely soft—1 to 2 hours, depending on the freshness of the pods. Using your hand or the back of a large spoon, thoroughly dislodge the softened brown tamarind pulp from the fibrous material and seeds. Strain, discarding the solids. You should have 1 quart of tamarind pulp; if you don’t, add water to reach that quantity.