Three delicious tamarind dipping sauces for every occasion and type of appetizer. A flavorful simple sauce, a chunky salsa and a thick Asian style. Something different and so easy to make.
Dipping Sauces With Tamarind
Tamarind is a versatile ingredient and goes well with several cuisines. It is easily available and with that we can create a variety of sauces that have a distinct taste.
I was inspired by a tamarind sauce that I grew up with. A simple sauce made with shallots, chilies, cilantro and seasonings. Easy to put together it was served with rice or appetizers.
Using that as a basis, I further created two more sauces to serve with appetizers and main dishes. The taste of tamarind lends itself beautifully to make dipping sauces with a refreshingly different flavor.
Try using tamarind for a new take on your favorite tangy dipping sauces.
What You Need
Here are some notes on the ingredients. But, you don't need all of the following for each sauce. Check recipe card below for the quantities.
- Tamarind: For convenience, we use tamarind paste that is available online and in international section of grocery stores. Alternatively soak 50 grams of dried tamarind (cleaned and seeds removed) in ½ cup warm water or simmer and extract the pulp to use as per taste.
- Onions: I use shallots or red onions.
- Tomatoes: We need this for the chunky salsa.
- Aromatics: Fresh ginger, fresh garlic.
- Chilies: Green chilies, red chilies or jalapeños will work.
- Honey or brown sugar: We need this to balance the sour taste of tamarind.
- Spices: ground cumin, cayenne pepper or chili powder, red pepper flakes.
- Herbs: Use fresh cilantro, mint, chives or green onions.
- Corn Starch: To thicken the Asian style sauce.
- Other ingredients: We need sesame oil, sesame seeds and soy sauce for the Asian style dipping sauce. I prefer toasted sesame oil for its intense flavor.
How to Make It
Below is a brief overview. Full recipe is at the end of the blog post.
- Make the Base: Combine tamarind paste with water, heat it and then cool.
- Three Dipping Sauces: Add the chopped vegetables, aromatics, spices and honey.
- Simple sauce: Just let ingredients meld together.
- Salsa style: Crush in mortar or food processor.
- Thick Asian style: Thicken base with corn starch then add other ingredients.
Pro Tips
- Tamarind is sour in taste, so add some honey or brown sugar to balance the acidity according to your preference.
- First make the base sauce, taste, adjust and then proceed with the recipe.
- For this recipe, pomegranate molasses may be the only substitute for tamarind paste. Adjust the amount of liquid, lime juice and sweetener (honey or brown sugar) used for the recipe as per the taste of molasses.
Each of these tamarind dipping sauces has a different consistency and flavor profile. Choose the one you need.
Variations
These tamarind dipping sauces are vegan, vegetarian, low carb, gluten free, egg free, dairy free, nut free and grain free. The simple sauce and salsa are soy free.
- Soy Free: To make the Asian style sauce soy-free skip adding soy sauce.
- No Added Sugar: It is difficult to skip honey or brown sugar, because tamarind is sour and needs some sweetener to balance the taste. You can use date paste, but be sure to adjust the consistency.
- Low Sodium: Ready made tamarind paste usually has added salt. But you can make your own paste using dried tamarind and lower the amount of salt used.
What To Serve Along
These sauces will be great with appetizers and main courses on Indian, Asian, middle-eastern and Mediterranean menus. Some suggestions below:
- The thin simple sauce is great for dipping baked samosa recipe, pakoras or egg rolls.
- Serve the refreshing tangy-sweet-spicy salsa with fried or roasted chicken, seared fish, shishlik (grilled lamb chops), joojeh kabob (chicken kabobs), or shrimp masala.
- Try the thick Asian style sauce with beef cutlets, fish patties recipe or eggplant patties.
Make Ahead
You can make these dipping sauces one or two days ahead of serving. However, the salsa sauce may be best served fresh. You can make the base sauce up to 5 days ahead.
Storage
Refrigerate leftovers for 4 to 5 days. But, the base sauce can be stored longer without the addition of the fresh produce ingredients. These tamarind sauces are not freezer friendly.
Nutrition Facts
Tamarind has been well known in traditional medicine and folklore. In Arabic, 'tamar' means date and 'hind' stands for India, so tamarind literally means 'date of India'.
It is a pod like fruit with high levels of tartaric acid, a well known powerful antioxidant. Also, tamarind contains other phytochemicals with healing properties.
Further, research studies have pointed to the hypolipidemic, antidiabetic, antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of this tropical fruit.
More Dips and Sauces
Other interesting dips and sauces to try on the blog.
- Cream Cheese Salsa Dip - Something different to try with crackers.
- Indian Mango Chutney - So many uses for this chutney listed in this blog post.
- White Bean Hummus - The tasty cousin of hummus.
- Tangy and Spicy Red Pepper Chutney - The name says it all.
★ DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? PLEASE COMMENT AND GIVE IT A STAR RATING BELOW!
Tamarind Dipping Sauces (3 Ways)
Ingredients
Simple Sauce
- 2 tablespoons tamarind paste see note
- ¾ cup water some more if very sour
- 2 tablespoons chopped shallots or red onions
- 1 tablespoon green chilies red chilies or jalapeños
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar or honey, adjust per taste of tamarind paste
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin optional
- Salt as per taste, only if needed
- Optional ingredients grated ginger or garlic, fresh mint, green onions, soy sauce
Salsa Style
- 2 tablespoons tamarind paste see note
- 1 cup tomatoes roma or vine-ripe, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped shallots or red onions
- 2 tablespoons chopped mint fresh, cilantro or both
- 1 tablespoon green chilies red chilies or jalapeños
- ½ teaspoon grated garlic fresh
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper or chili powder
- Salt as per taste, only if needed
- Brown sugar or honey add only if tamarind too sour, use 1 teaspoon at a time
Thick Asian Style
- 2 tablespoons tamarind paste see note
- ¾ cup water some more if very sour
- 1½ teaspoons corn starch
- 1½ tablespoons green onions or chives
- 1½ tablespoons cilantro optional
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar or honey, adjust per taste of tamarind paste
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons sesame seeds toasted
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce optional, add salt only if needed
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger fresh, or garlic
- ⅓ teaspoon red pepper flakes adjust per taste
- Salt as per taste, only if needed
Instructions
- Simple Sauce: In a small saucepan, combine tamarind paste with water and bring it to a boil. Turn off the heat and allow to cool. Add chopped shallots, chilies, cilantro, brown sugar or honey, cumin and stir until well combined. Allow to rest few hours for the flavors to meld together.
- Salsa: In a small mixing bowl, combine tamarind paste, chopped tomatoes, shallots, mint/cilantro, chilies, garlic, cumin and cayenne pepper. Crush it into a coarse salsa using a wooden pestle, spoon or masher. Or use the pulse action in a food processor.
- Asian style: In a small saucepan, combine tamarind paste with ½ cup water and heat at medium high. Dissolve corn starch in remaining water and whisk into the hot sauce. Cook until it thickens, stirring frequently. Cool the sauce and add green onions, cilantro, brown sugar or honey, sesame oil, sesame seeds, soy sauce, ginger, red pepper flakes and stir until well combined. Tip: You can also heat the sesame oil and toast the sesame seeds in it, adding red pepper flakes just before turning off the heat. Then add this to the sauce.
- Pro Tip: Adjust the taste of the sauces, adding seasonings and brown sugar or honey as per preference.
Notes
- Tamarind Paste: Available online and in international section of grocery stores. Alternatively soak 50 grams of dried tamarind (cleaned and seeds removed) in ½ cup warm water or simmer and extract the pulp.
- Substitute: For this recipe, pomegranate molasses may be the only substitute for tamarind paste. Adjust the amount of liquid and sweetener used for the recipe as per the taste of molasses.
- Sesame Oil: I prefer toasted sesame oil for its intense flavor, but you can use regular sesame oil too.
- Make Ahead: Can be made one or two days ahead of serving. The salsa version may be best served fresh. Prep the base sauce up to 5 days ahead.
- Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated for 4 to 5 days. These sauces are not freezer friendly. The base sauce can be stored longer without the addition of the fresh produce ingredients.
- Nutrition Facts: Are for simple sauce. Not including any added salt.
- For other tips and serving suggestions, scroll up the page to the blog post.
Nutrition
More Tamarind Recipes
- Tamarind Fish (Seared Fish with Tamarind Sauce)
- Mirchi Ka Salan (Indian Pepper Curry)
- Indian Cucumber Salad (Kachumber)
Liz says
This dipping sauce is so good! I'm going to try it on roasted vegetables, next. I think it will be perfect!
Roxana Begum says
Great Idea!
Ieva says
Thanks so much for these recipes! I always buy a tub of tamarind paste to make a specific recipe and then don't know what to do with the rest! Cannot wait to try these dips! :)
Roxana Begum says
Perfect for making sauces and storing it for later.
veena says
A sauce bursting with flavors and perfect to have in my kitchen . Homemade sounds best too.
Tracy says
These all look so good! So much versatility! I can't wait to try them all, especially the salsa!
Roxana Begum says
You must try the Asian style too. It's yummy.
Gwynn says
I love the flavor of tamarind and all three of these ways to use it are beyond delicious!