The Tamarind Margarita is a unique and delicious spin on the beloved classic margarita. Blending the sweet-tart flavours of tamarind with zingy lime juice and premium tequila, it’s a party in a glass. This exotic cocktail will transport you to a sunny beach with its bright, fruity notes.
About the Recipe
You’ve got to try this Tamarind Margarita. It takes the classic lime margarita and adds an incredible fruity dimension with homemade tamarind pulp. The sweet-tart flavors pair so well with the tequila and orange liqueur. Plus, it’s a gorgeous reddish-pink color that’s super vibrant and eye-catching.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
There are so many reasons to love this Tamarind Margarita recipe. First off, the unique tamarind flavor is just mind-blowingly good with the tart lime and boozy tequila kick. It has this incredible balance of sweet, sour, and refreshing notes. The process of making the tamarind pulp from scratch gives it such an authentic, robust taste too. And let’s be real – who doesn’t love a beautiful ruby-hued cocktail? This one is sure to wow guests with its gorgeous colour and gourmet flavour.
Cooking Tips
For the best tamarind flavor, use fresh wet tamarind if you can find it. Let it soak and get super soft before extracting the pulp. Blending the ingredients gives it a perfect slushy texture, but you can tweak the consistency by adjusting the amount of ice. And don’t forget to rim the glasses with salt for that classic margarita touch.
Serving and Storing Suggestions
This recipe makes about 4 margaritas, perfect for sipping with friends. For a festive presentation, serve in salt-rimmed margarita glasses garnished with lime wedges. Store any extra tamarind pulp tightly covered in the fridge for up to 5 days to mix up more drinks later. Total prep time is around 30 minutes plus 2 hours of soaking.
Similar Recipes
- Spicy Pineapple Margarita
- Watermelon Basil Margarita
- Passionfruit Mezcal Margarita
- Cucumber Jalapeño Margarita
Nutrient Benefits
While the Tamarind Margarita is without a doubt an indulgent treat, it does offer some nutritional perks from the tamarind fruit. Tamarind is packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that provide anti-inflammatory benefits. The citric acid from the limes is vitamin C-rich too.
Tamarind Margarita
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Sugar
- 4 1/2 cups Water
- Wet Tamarind (cut into cubes)
- Cointreau (1 part)
- Tequila (1 part)
- Fresh Lime Juice (1 part)
- Ice Cubes
- Lime Slices to garnish
Instructions
- Mix the sugar and water together in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Stir until the sugar has dissolved and then leave to cool.
- In another saucepan combine the remaining water and the tamarind cubes until simmering.
- Remove and reserve for two hours until the tamarind is really soft.
- Transfer to a sieve with a bowl underneath and reserve the soaking liquid.
- Press the pulp through the sieve, using the back of a wooden spoon, into a different bowl.
- There should be 1 cup of the pulp. If not top up with the reserved soaking liquid.
- Blend half the ice cubes, lime juice, tamarind pulp and sugar syrup until slushy.
- Pour equal amounts into martini glasses.
- Repeat with the Cointreau, tequila and remaining ice, lime juice, tamarind pulp and sugar syrup, and top up.
- Garnish with lime slices.
- Serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does tamarind taste like?
Tamarind has a unique sweet-tart, almost fruity flavor with notes of lemon and umami savoriness. The taste is hard to describe – tart like lemon but richer and more complex. You’ll have to try it to fully appreciate the deliciousness.
Can I use tamarind paste instead?
For best results, I’d recommend using fresh wet tamarind over paste or concentrate. The process of soaking and extracting the pulp yourself gives such an authentically vibrant, nuanced tamarind flavor. But in a pinch, you could substitute good quality tamarind paste.
How do you rim margarita glasses with salt?
For a perfectly salted rim, run a juicy lime wedge around the edge of your margarita glass. Then, dip the moistened rim into a small plate of coarse sea salt or kosher salt to create an even coating. The salt really makes those tart, sweet flavors pop.
What type of tequila is best for margaritas?
Most recipes call for blanco or silver tequila, which has a clean, strong agave flavor. But you could get away with using a reposado tequila too if you prefer a slight oak taste. Just avoid anything too aged like an a̱ejo Рthat smooth, mellower flavor gets overpowered in cocktails.
Can I make this recipe in advance?
The tamarind pulp can surely be prepped 1-2 days ahead and stored covered in the fridge. But for best texture, I’d recommend blending the full cocktail with ice right before serving. The flavors really shine when it’s freshly mixed.
