Even if you don’t know it, you’re probably familiar with the distinctive tang of tamarind.
A staple in South and Southeastern Asian cuisine, it’s the tangy-sweet heart and soul of a killer Pad Thai sauce or flavorful curry, and it plays a starring role in the dark-brown dipping sauce served alongside samosas, papadam and pakora at your favorite Indian restaurant.
With a flavor akin to tart citrus, tamarind for centuries has also lent its unique sweet and sour flavor to Mexican and Caribbean cuisine, adding a delightful zing to everything from candy and cocktails to sauces and marinades. In the Philippines, it’s a key ingredient in sinigang, a savory Filipino stew.
As American tastes have grown more international, it’s no surprise that food producers are embracing the popular (and sticky) fruit in fun ways. In its 24th annual Flavor Forecast, global spice maker McCormick named tamarind the 2024 Flavor of the Year and added Tamarind & Pasilla Chile Seasoning to its wide variety of spices.
The pod-like legume from the tamarind tree also made headlines at June’s Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City, when specialty food company Tamarind Heads won a gold medal for its barbecue sauce crafted with the fruit’s “unique blend of tart, tangy, smoky, sweet and spicy flavors.”
Sashi Kumar launched the sauce company in 2019 with business partner, Jim Giberson, a chef and food consultant, after the two crossed paths at Dartmouth College’s Tuck School of Business.
As an MBA candidate, Kumar had to complete a project solving a business challenge “and there were a lot of food initiatives at the time,” he recalls.
The one that ended up having legs was figuring out why tamarind hadn’t broken out in the U.S. despite changes in demographics, especially in cultures where it is a common ingredient.
It took the pair five years to develop and refine the sauce — based on Kumar’s mother Shalini’s recipe — into one with a brand-new flavor profile.
Keeping the American palate in mind, the company zeroed in on barbecue sauce as a delivery method to take tamarind from being a “back of the fridge” product you use for one recipe to one that transcends a lot of different foods, and can be used in many different ways.
Serendipitously, Tamarind Head’s first run of bottles was on the production line in West Bridgewater, and about to go to market when McCormick unveiled its flavor forecast. The timing couldn’t have been better.
“It was a lot of work, but we hit on some zeitgeist,” says Kumar.
Chicken wings are a favorite dish anytime of year, but are especially popular once football season gets underway. These flats and drumettes are glazed in Tamarind Heads’ tart and tangy tamarind barbecue sauce.
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Tropical Chicken Wings
INGREDIENTS
2 pounds fresh chicken wings
4 ounces Tamarind Heads BBQ Sauce, plus more for brushing
4 ounces red wine
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
DIRECTIONS
Place chicken wings in a large metal bowl and add Tamarind Heads BBQ Sauce, red wine, salt and pepper. Toss all ingredients until wings are fully coated.
Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Place wings in baking pan and bake in oven at 375 degrees until fully cooked, around 40 minutes.
Pull out the wings and do a final brush, coating each side with Tamarind Heads BBQ Sauce.
Place in broiler for around 4 minutes, until wings are crispy and slightly charred. Serves 2-4. — tamarindheads.com
Tribune News Service
