What goes with tamarind?

[Tw0fish]

I just got back from school on friday, after one solid calendar year of occasional weekend trips home. I have a gallon batch of tamarind mead that I've neglected (except to keep the airlock properly filled!) and I forgot what I was going to do with it.. if I had any actual plans for this phase at all.

As follows:
3.5lb orange blossom honey
14oz wet pack tamarind
D47

plus water to one gallon. I started it in in February of last year and must've racked and topped it off once or twice (there's not six inches of tamarind pulp in the bottom, thank God). It's pretty and clear and fruity and immensely tamarind-sour. So I'm open to suggestion... what do you guys think I should toss in to backsweeten?

 

[gratus fermentatio]

If you backsweeten, I'd use more orange blossom honey. You could also try some acid reduction (tamarind is high in tartaric acid) with either calcium carbonate or you might try to precipitate some of the excess tartaric acid out of solution by cold crashing & racking off the precipitate (wine diamonds).
Regards, GF.

 

[noblesquirrel]

Additionally, you could backsweeten and add dried chilies to it. I'd say guajillo would be best as they are quite earthy. Chipotle would be interesting, but the smoke may clash somewhat.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

When I think tamarind, I think tamarind chutney.

Not sure I'd mead that tho'.

 

[Tw0fish]

Not sure I'd mead that tho'.

Hm. How does one chutney?

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Hm. How does one chutney?

Google? Tamarind Chutney

 

[ajdelange]

In my experience what goes with tamarind is a quick 'chutney' off to the loo.

 

[feralparakeet]

I just happened to have a copy of The Flavor Bible sitting next to me when I saw this post, so here is there complete list of flavor matches (common stuff is in bold, super-popular in all caps). Hope this helps you with some ideas!

TAMARIND
Season: spring-early summer
Taste: sour
Weight: medium
Volume: moderate-loud
Tips: Add at the beginning of the cooking process.

African cuisine
allspice
almonds
Asian cuisines
banans
beans
beverages, esp. fruit
cabbage
cardamom
Central American cuisine
chicken
chickpeas
chile peppers, esp. Thai
chili powder
Chinese cuisine
chutneys
cilantro
cinnamon
cloves
coconut and coconut milk
coriander
cumin
curries, curry paste, curry powder
dates
duck
fennel seeds
fenugreek
fish
fish sauce
fruits
game
garlic
ginger
greens
honey
INDIAN CUISINE
Indonesian cuisine
Jamaican cuisine
lamb
Latin American cuisine
lentils
lime, juice
mangoes
marinades
meats
Middle Eastern cuisine
mint
mushrooms
mustard
oil, grapeseed
onions, red
orange
paprika
peaches
peanuts
pears
pepper, black
pineapple
pork
potatoes
poultry
rice
sauces
scallops
sea bass
shellfish
shrimp
soups
Southeast Asian cuisine
soy sauce
star anise
stews
sugar: brown, palm, white
Thai basil
Thai cuisine
turmeric
vegetables
vinaigrette
Worcestershire sauce (key ingredient)
yogurt

Flavor Affinities:
tamarind + chicken + yogurt

 

[Paps]

Is there an online version of this flavor bible by chance?

 

[feralparakeet]

I don't think it's available for free online, but it might be out there as an eBook. It really is the best $30 you can spend if you enjoy cooking or experimenting with quirky flavor combinations in your brew.

 

[Urkelbot]

I did a tamarind habanero mead that's really good. For 1 gallon I put 2 habaneros and 1/2-1 lb of tamarind, minus shell and seeds, in secondary and then used 1/2-1 lb of soaked and filtered tamarind to back sweeten.

I bottled it after only 4 months. It had cleared and the heat from the habanero + sweet and sour from the tamarind mask the youth from the mead. When you take a sip you get the sweet and sour first and then the heat slams into your mouth. Its pleasant and not too hot for me when sipped.

 

[gratus fermentatio]

You don't have to add anything to tamarind. If you balance it well, it should be pretty tasty. Ever had that Mexican tamarind soda? (without the iguana).
http://static.squarespace.com/stati...b2e5c6476/1376661475714/Jarrits Tamarindo.JPG
Regards, GF.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

You don't have to add anything to tamarind. If you balance it well, it should be pretty tasty. Ever had that Mexican tamarind soda? (without the iguana).
http://static.squarespace.com/stati...b2e5c6476/1376661475714/Jarrits Tamarindo.JPG
Regards, GF.

I have had the soda.

The iguana would taste better.

 

[Tw0fish]

You guys are great.
I think im about to put the lime in the coconut..