Learn how to make tamarind paste at home with this easy step-by-step homemade tamarind paste recipe (puli paste / tamarind pulp). Free from artificial preservatives and chemical additives, this pure concentrated tamarind paste stays fresh for months in the refrigerator and saves precious morning cooking time for everyday South Indian sambar, rasam, and vathakuzhambu!
Tamarind paste / tamarind pulp (Puli Paste) is one of the most important ingredients for making sambar, rasam, and vathakuzhambu in South Indian cooking. I have seen my friends buying tamarind paste from stores every month in their grocery purchase. But I don’t have the habit of using store-bought tamarind paste as I am concerned about the use of preservatives. So I soak tamarind everyday before I start cooking and take tamarind pulp freshly. But most of the time I forget to soak and do it in last minute by heating the tamarind in water for quick soaking.
Recently when I was talking with my friend Shalini, she told about her homemade tamarind paste. She said it’s handy for quick cooking and the wastage of tamarind would be very much reduced. She told me to try it once to believe. Last week I made tamarind paste just for 1 week usage and stored in the refrigerator.
As she told, it’s really useful and I am impressed with this. It saves more time especially while cooking during busy morning hours. I am sure it would be a big help for working women. You can make it in bulk quantity and preserve for months by keeping in the refrigerator. It would be much better than store bought tamarind pulp. Let’s see how to make tamarind paste at home and store it.
Quick Notes for US & Abroad Kitchens
- Tamarind Variety: In US, UK, and international grocery stores (like Patel Brothers, Asian supermarkets, or online), buy seedless pressed tamarind blocks labeled as Indian tamarind. Avoid sweet Thai tamarind blocks for this recipe, as South Indian savory curries require tart and tangy sourness.
- Cooking Vessel: When boiling tamarind paste on electric stovetops or induction burners, use a deep stainless steel pot or enamel Dutch oven. Avoid unlined aluminum, cast iron, or copper vessels as acidic tamarind reacts with reactive metals.
- Splatter Caution: As the thick paste boils, it bubbles vigorously and splatters. Keep the saucepan partially covered with a lid or splatter screen and stir carefully.
- Freezer Storage: If you prepare a large batch, you can spoon the paste into silicone ice cube trays (1 tablespoon per slot). Once frozen, transfer the cubes to a freezer zip-top bag; each cube equals one portion for sambar or rasam and keeps for up to 1 year!
Homemade Tamarind Paste (Puli Paste / Tamarind Pulp)
Ingredients
- 200 g Tamarind (approx. 200g / 7 oz) seeds and hard shells removed
- 1 cup Hot water (approx. 240 ml / 8 fl oz) plus 1/2 cup extra if needed for settling grits
- 1 tsp Salt (approx. 5g) as needed, acts as natural preservative
- 1 tbsp Cooking oil or sesame gingelly oil (approx. 15 ml / 0.5 fl oz) optional, added while boiling for extra preservation
Instructions
- Soak 200g tamarind in 1 cup of hot water for 30 minutes to 1 hour until it turns completely soft and pliable. Squeeze the tamarind well with your fingers to separate seeds and any hard shell grits. (If there are more hard shell grits, add an extra 1/2 cup of warm water so the heavy grits settle to the bottom, then lift the soaked tamarind pulp out).
- Transfer the soaked tamarind along with a little soaking water to a blender jar and grind into a smooth, thick paste. Pour the ground mixture through a colander or fine sieve into a bowl, pressing and squeezing firmly with a spoon or your hand to extract all the smooth pulp. Discard any residual fibrous waste.
- Short-Term Storage (1 to 10 Days): Stir in the required salt. Transfer this fresh, uncooked tamarind paste into a clean, airtight glass bottle or jar and refrigerate. You can follow this method if using the paste within 7 to 10 days for everyday cooking.
- Long-Term Preservation (Months): For storing up to 6 months, transfer the extracted tamarind pulp to a wide pan or kadai. Bring it to a boil over medium flame for about 5 minutes. (Cover with a lid as it tends to splatter; stir once or twice in between carefully). You can optionally add 1 tbsp of cooking oil while boiling. Turn off the heat and allow the paste to cool down completely until it reaches a creamy, glossy consistency.
- After the paste is cooled down completely, store in a clean, airtight glass jar or traditional porcelain jar (peengaan jaadi) and preserve it in the refrigerator for months. Always use a clean, dry spoon to scoop.
- Usage Guide: Add 1 to 1.5 tablespoons of this paste for sambar, 2 to 3 tablespoons for vatha kuzhambu, and 1 tablespoon for rasam (adjust quantities to taste based on number of servings).
Notes
- You can preserve this tamarind paste for months only if its cooked.
- If the pulp is raw, you can store it only for a week or max 10 days.
- You can add 1 tbsp of cooking oil to the paste while it boils which acts as a preservative. But I used only salt.
- Always use a clean, dry spoon while scooping the paste from the jar to prevent moisture spoilage.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Fresh uncooked tamarind paste with salt lasts 7 to 10 days in the refrigerator. When boiled for 5 minutes and stored in a clean, airtight glass jar, it keeps fresh for 3 to 6 months in the fridge, or up to 1 year when frozen in ice cube trays.
Because this homemade tamarind paste is thick and concentrated, use 1 to 1.5 tablespoons for sambar, 1 tablespoon for rasam, and 2 to 3 tablespoons for vatha kuzhambu. As a general substitute, 1 tablespoon of concentrated tamarind paste equals a small lemon-sized ball of raw soaked tamarind.
Tamarind naturally oxidizes when exposed to oxygen, causing it to turn darker or deeper brown over time. This color change is completely normal and does not mean the paste has spoiled as long as clean, dry spoons are used and it is kept refrigerated in an airtight jar.
Yes, adding 1 tablespoon of sesame gingelly oil or cooking oil while boiling the pulp acts as an effective natural preservative, prevents excessive splattering, and gives the paste a smooth, glossy finish.
Make your own homemade tamarind paste and use it for your quick cooking!
Thank you,Chitra.This is very useful.:)
Thanks Geetha :)
Useful post,thanks for sharing Chitra.
Thank you Suja :)
This is such a useful post! Some recipes call for tamarind paste and I simply skip because I don't have it… will pin this and make it and stock some in my fridge for the rainy days… Thank you so much for sharing…
Thanks Rafee. It sure helps :)