Tamarind paste
If your pad thai has never tasted like the one in Bangkok, the missing piece was probably tamarind. Its fruity, almost jammy sourness is the backbone of the sauce.
What exactly is it?
The pulp of the tamarind pod, a brown seed pod, turned into a paste. Sour with a hint of sweetness, it balances Thai cooking alongside palm sugar and fish sauce.
How to use it
- Mixed with palm sugar and fish sauce: that's pad thai sauce.
- Stirred into a massaman curry at the end to balance it.
- In a dipping sauce for spring rolls.
What can I use instead?
Lime juice with a little brown sugar will do, without the fruity depth.
How do I store it?
In the fridge once opened, for several months.
