Recipe: Tamarind Chicken
I {heart} Tamarind. For the longest time, I never even knew what it was. All I knew was there was a certain sauce at the Indian restaurant that I wanted to buy by the bottle so I could put it on every thing. Slightly sweet and tangy and full of an indescribable flavor. Makes my mouth water just thinking about it. Anyway, I just went about my life blissfully ignorant of what made up this sauce and how it was going to become an obsession years later.
Several years ago my cousin Michelle and I went on a field trip to Biscayne Bay near Homestead, Florida – the last city on the Florida mainland. She is a marine mammal researcher and we were going to the bay to get samples of plants that make up the diet of wild manatees. She had a friend in her lab, whose family was from Homestead and she told us we had to go to this huge fruit stand, called Robert is Here! famous for tropical milkshakes. I love milkshakes, hands down, so I was there. When we got to Robert is Here! we were overwhelmed. It was unlike any fruit stand I had ever been to. The sheer size of it was incredible. There was fresh fruit, jars of jellies and chutneys, sodas made up of tropical fruits, Florida souvenirs, huge gummy alligators, you name it. We finally found the area where they did the milkshakes and stood in line. On the board they had their daily offerings, regular things you would expect like pineapple, mango and papaya, and then some interesting ones like key lime, then there were those I was totally unfamiliar with: Fruits like Monstera Deliciosa, Mamey, Atemoya and Tamarind. I asked what tamarind tasted like (not knowing at the time that it was the star ingredient of my favorite sauce at the Indian restaurant) and the lady told me it was like sour gummy bears. It sounded weird, and I couldn’t wrap my head around what that would taste like in fruit form, so obviously, I ordered it. I can honestly say it was love at first sip. Something about the sweet and creamy vanilla frozen yogurt base, (or was it ice cream, I can’t quite recall) and the tang of the tamarind was so delicious. It was not at all sour gummies, it was just really great. So we went ahead and bought a bag of tamarinds and really enjoyed them our whole trip!
Once I knew the name of this delicious fruit, I saw it everywhere and finally put two and two together that it was the ingredient in that great sauce. I was hooked.
Recently we went to an Indian market and I picked up a jar of Tamarind-Date Chutney. I honestly wasn’t sure what I was going to do with it, but I got in the kitchen started playing and was inspired.
I marinated some chicken thighs in about ½ a bottle of it along with some minced garlic cloves, cumin, coriander, garam masala and chili powder.
Then, I sauteed some onions and peppers in my cast iron skillet. Added the chicken, browned it on all sides.
I had veggies from the Farmer’s Market – carrots, cauliflower and a bag of frozen peas. I quickly blanched them, while preheating the oven to 425 F (which is the new 350F in my mind).
Chicken and sauce went in a glass baking dish and all my veggies got piled in there and baked it for about 45 minutes.
We ate bowls of it and sopped up the juice with fresh pita bread from the farmer’s market!
Goes really good with a nice dollop of yogurt!
Coffee & Vanilla - January 25, 2008 at 11:25 am
Very interesting recipe, I must try it, especially that it has cauliflower…
Have a great weekend,
Margot
Peter - January 25, 2008 at 11:28 am
Jenn, very colourful dish, takes one off to a distant place.
I’ve only ever had tamarind as part of a food, like in Pad Thai or the dipping sauces for samosas. I’ll have revisit the ingredient.
courtney - January 25, 2008 at 11:57 am
Oh wow. Ilike tamarind as well. You find it in a lot of the Mexican grocers, etc. up here.
Heather - January 25, 2008 at 12:08 pm
I love tamarind, too! It’s really in everything that’s good – even HP sauce. When I was in college I invented an Italian soda with tamarind and coconut syrups (worked in a coffee shop)- I called it “the Kama Sutra”. No one really ordered it, but those who did loved it. 🙂
Also, I grow Monstera deliciosa as houseplants (also know as window leaf philodendron), but had no idea it produced an edible fruit! And I’m a botanist, ffs! I guess the “deliciosa” should’ve been a clue, eh?
Cakespy - January 25, 2008 at 12:22 pm
Ooh I love tamarind–nice, creative use!
Jen in MI - January 25, 2008 at 12:24 pm
This looks yummy, Jenn! We had a tamarind disaster a couple of years ago, but I’m game to try again.
núria - January 25, 2008 at 12:27 pm
Jenn, can’t keep up with your writing rhythm… uf, uf! What’s going on with Tamarindo, such beautiful name for a tree. Yesterday I was in a book store and saw this book titled “La noche del Tamarindo” What a coincidence!!! It seems that the tree leaves, at night, close completely and let you see the branches and the big log.
Great recipe with this exotic taste. I wonder if I could find this Chutney in Barcelona?
Ben - January 25, 2008 at 2:23 pm
I love tamarindo. We have all kinds of dishes, sweets, fresh waters and desserts in Mexico made with tamarindo. My favorite when I was growing up were tamarindo lollipops covered with powder chile. I can’t believe I used to eat that!
Of course I have to try this recipe now. Thanks for bringing so many memories back!
Lane - January 26, 2008 at 2:05 am
OK, so we’re clearly not going to make this recipe as it isn’t vegan… BUT, one of our absolute favorite meals at the Indian restaurant we habitually frequent is eggplant in coconut-tamarind sauce.
We haven’t as yet run across a recipe for that, but your post here might serve as inspiration.
Lane of VeganBits.com
Nina - January 26, 2008 at 2:14 am
I am new at this blogging thing and at the moment find it so overwhelming – like a kid in a candy store. I found the passionate cook and went through all her favorite blogs and then found you. I loved this last recipe with tamarind – I find it here in Indian shops.This chicken dish is comfort food at it’s best.
Your blog inspires me.
Emiline - January 26, 2008 at 2:42 am
A tamarind milkshake does sound intriguing. I think I’ve had tamarind before, but it was a long time ago. Do they sell it in a brick shape, wrapped with clear plastic? If they do, then I think I had it.
Anyway, wouldn’t it be fun to play with in sweet things?
I agree; 425 is the new 350. Unless you’re baking sweet stuff.
Cakelaw - January 26, 2008 at 5:27 am
Hi Jen, Thanks for the photo and the info on the tamarind. I didn’t know it was a fruit either, let alone what it looked like!
Sylvia - January 26, 2008 at 6:25 am
I “discover” when I was in love with Thai food, and I used substituting lemon, to seasoned chicken and I like the juice too,as always your post are wonderful.
MyKitchenInHalfCups - January 26, 2008 at 9:12 am
Jenn that is a wonderful discovery story and a totally fantastic looking Chicken dish! Beautiful.
I guess I really need to try this separate from other foods. I’m sure I’ve only tried tamarind mixed in a dish.
Bellini Valli - January 26, 2008 at 4:50 pm
Would I have loved to be there for the taste testing Jenn. Tamarind is one of those exotic tastes I have never had the pleasure of trying….yet!
Kat - January 26, 2008 at 5:03 pm
so exotic, yum!
Trotter - January 26, 2008 at 7:54 pm
Wow Jenn, you’re destroying my diet… ;))
Thanks for the comments at Blogtrotter.
Enjoy a great weekend!
Gil
Maryann - January 26, 2008 at 9:50 pm
I have to admit I’ve never cooked with it. Good post 🙂
Johanna - January 27, 2008 at 12:30 am
Thanks for your rave about tamarind – I feel I need to get acquainted with tamarind but haven’t yet – from your comments and other things I have read, it is quite sour which makes me wonder how much I would like it – I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with citrus – sometimes it is so good in cooking but I hae little desire to have too much lemon in anything. I even like your idea of using the chutney as a marinade – although I would be doing it with tofu.
ivy - January 27, 2008 at 10:44 am
This is the first time I’ve heard of tamarind and had to go and find more info in Wikipedia about it. However that was a lovely story and your chicken looks superb.
Kevin - January 27, 2008 at 1:25 pm
This sounds really tasty. I have a jar of tamarind paste in my fridge that I have only used once. I will have to pull it out and do something with it.
The Leftover Queen - January 28, 2008 at 1:44 am
Hi Margot! Are you a cauliflower fan? Stay tuned, I have a GREAT cauliflower recipe on its way!
Thanks Peter! Tamarind if fun to play with. I love the samosa dip! yum!
Yes, Courtney! I have seen Tamarind soda in Mexican grocers as well and it is delicious!
That is true Heather, it is in everything good! Had I ever gone to the coffee shop where you worked, I’d have been all over that Kama Sutra! I actually have a bottle of Tamarind syrup in the closet. I make Italian sodas with it!
Philodendron is edible (well not its leaves of course)? How weird!
Thanks Cakespy!
What was your disaster, Jen?
Wow, Nuria that is a crazy coincidence. It is a lovely name. It just sounds good! It has to taste good! I bet you could MAKE this chutney!
Ben! I actually have a similar candy in my closet – it is tamarind bites with chili on it – I got it from a Thai grocer. So glad I could bring back some memories from childhood!
Wow, Lane, that eggplant dish sounds phenomenal! I would so eat that!
Thanks Nina! I am so glad you stopped by and like my blog! Isn’t Jeni’s blog great? Welcome to blogging, you are going to LOVE it!
Hey Emiline! I have indeed seen it in the blocks before. So I think you have probably had it. Did you like it? I think you need to get more and do some baking experiments with it! I think it would be delish! Yes, 425 is definatly the new 350!!!
Hi Cakelaw! Isn’t it cute? I think it is jst so photogenic! 🙂
Thanks so much Sylvia! It is a great ingredient!
HiTanna! Thanks! It is a very interesting flavor.
Hi Bellini! Like I said on your blog, we should do an exchange! 🙂
It is a great taste, kat!
Trotter, this stuff is GOOD for you! You don’t have to destroy your diet!
Thanks Maryann – well you know what they say, there is no time like the present! 🙂
Hi Johanna – it has a way different flavor profile from citrus, so I think you should give it a try. It is something you should experience for sure. I think it would taste great on tofu! And as Lane suggested eggplant too, which I think sounds wonderful! If you have an Indian market near you, I would suggest stopping by and see what they have.
It is quite an exotic ingredient for me too, Ivy, but it is such a wonderful flavor!
Yes, Kevin! I think you will have a blast experimenting!
Jennifer - January 30, 2008 at 9:54 am
Robert is Here: http://www.andtheeggs.net/2007/11/robert-is-here.html
The Leftover Queen - January 30, 2008 at 12:20 pm
Thanks for the link Jennifer, I also have it embedded in the post! Have you been? You need to go!
Blessy - February 17, 2008 at 4:48 pm
Hi Jenn,
Thanx a lot for this wonderful and easy recipe. I made this for Valentines Day dinner and it ws fabulous. I was plannig to make chicken curry that day. When I was browsing that day, I came to visit your site thru DaniSpies.com. Found out that I had everything in store for the Tamarind Chicken, so thought to give it a try…It was very wonderful and unique in taste…
The Leftover Queen - February 18, 2008 at 12:26 pm
Wow, what an honor, Blessy! I am so glad it was a hit!
Nithya - March 4, 2009 at 8:28 am
Hi Jen! Tamarind is used most with fish curry in south India. You should really try this recipe if you like the taste of tamarind: saute 1 onion, 1/2 tsp ginger-garlic paste, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp red chilly powder. Add tamarind paste with water and bring to boil. Add fish (salmon is good)and when almost cooked, add a cup of coconut milk. (Spice it up with more chilly if you like)
Anas - August 7, 2012 at 12:42 pm
Hello from Malaysia….
Mamey (Pouteria Sapota) looks like what know here as Ciku (pronounced Chee-Coo, Manikara Zapota) though it’s of different species i believe it doesnt taste that differently… or is it?
Atemoya is called Nona…