Yum Tamarind Paste

–      Kanchan Bhattacharya

Actually this is a broad spectrum dose for babies and samosa eaters, and finger lickers…

Ingredients

1. Shelled, ripe tamarind 250 gm
2. Sugar 100 gm
3. Jaggery 100 gm
4. Mustard powder 10 gm
5. Amchur powder 10 gm
6. Green chilies, diced, 5 Nos
7. Salt to taste
8. Mustard oil a few drops

Process

1. Add a little warm water in a bowl full of tamarind. Do not allow the paste to be liquid, instead of a hard consistency
2. Knead and take the seeds out. Add a few drops of mustard oil at the end of kneading- that would clean the tamarind skin completely of tamarind flesh.
3. Do not lick fingers
4. Knead and add mustard oil
5. Add sugar
6. Add gurh (jaggery)
7. Knead and mix well. Taste! Do not lick fingers
8. Add all the mustard powder and salt, and a pinch of amchur
9. Taste, if not too hot, dice four more chilies and add red chili powder too

Taste… until it seems Ok, burns the tongue! If too hot add tamarind paste and sugar, if too weak, add spices. When you are done, it should be looking like this…

If you are still on your seat, ask the neighbor’s kid aged two to taste it!

The child should say “tuck, tchuk!” and run to her mom, or beg for more… send her to her mom.

Serve with samosas… or steal it bit by bit and finish the stuff alone. If storing it for tomorrow, label the jar “Poison”

Don’t feed it to a cat, dog or parents… spouses may be dosed with this for euthanasia. Boy-friends would be eager to avoid you after being treated to this delightful paste! I tried it on my daughter aged one year and two months. She said “towk”… “Ok”, as per me!

Ah… wash your hands before, during and after this concoction is made! Even after licking your fingers, you ought too! Also, do not use this as eye ointment!