I am frequently trying out random concoctions, often sauces and dips, to put on top of baked potatoes. A baked potato side with a bit of sauce is a lunch time regular. Potatoes are filling and a healthy addition to a low fat plant-based diet.
Tamarind concentrate is a very tangy, bright and citrusy flavor to add to a sauce. This pairs quite nicely with potatoes and other starches.
Tamarind concentrate
I found tamarind concentrate at a middle eastern grocery store. It is a bit different than tamarind paste, in that it has pulp removed and resembles a thick syrup instead of a paste. If you use paste, you may need to adjust the amount of paste you use until there is enough flavor. Tamarind concentrate is very strong. Because the paste will be a thicker consistency, you may want to add a bit of water or additional lemon juice as well.
Tangy and Creamy Tamarind Spread
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp vegan yogurt plain
- 2 Tbsp tahini
- 1.5 Tbsp garlic minced
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp tamarind concentrate See notes
- 1 Tbsp vinegar
- 1 Tbsp water
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp stevia extract or 1 Tbsp maple syrup
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth and creamy.
- Store in a glass jar in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Notes
Substitutions
As mentioned above, you could use a tamarind paste in place of the tamarind concentrate. The tamarind concentrate that I found is sold in a small flexible plastic pouch with a plastic spout on top. It is also offered online from grocery websites, such as Amazon.com and others.
Plain vegan yogurt is available in many supermarkets, but if you cannot locate it you could substitute any kind of tofu, or even vegan sour cream.
Use any sweetener that you prefer. I usually use stevia or erythritol, or an apple juice concentrate syrup. If you use a highly concentrated sweetener like stevia, you will probably need to adjust to taste.
Garnish and other Additions
Hot sauce! I often drizzle a bit of hot sauce on top of this tamarind sauce to add some kick and/or variation. A bit of parsley and seasoning with pepper, as pictured, is also recommended.
