Tamarind Agua Fresca
Reprinted with permission from Trejo’s Cantina by Danny Trejo with Hugh Garvey copyright © 2023. Photographs by Larchmont Hospitality Group LLC. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC.
Tamarind is a huge part of the Mexican drinks tradition: You’ll find it at the agua fresca bars of taco joints and in bottled sodas across L.A. It’s earthy and sour and so good, especially when sweetened a bit, which we’ve done along with adding cinnamon and star anise. You can find tamarind pods in your local grocery in the Latin American food section or online./
This recipe, and others like it, can be found in the article “Here’s How to Make Danny Trejo’s Favorite Booze-Free Cocktails at Home.”
How to Make It
1
Make the spiced syrup: Put the ginger in a medium pot along with 2 cups water. Using a muddler, gently crush the ginger enough to break it up a bit. Bring the water to a boil.
2
Meanwhile, in a small skillet, toast the cinnamon and allspice until fragrant and warm, 2–3 minutes.
3
Add the toasted spices to the boiling ginger water and boil for about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let it steep for 15 minutes.
4
Add the sugar and stir until it has dissolved. Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bottle or airtight container and store in the fridge until ready to use.
5
Make the drink: Remove the hard outer shells of the dried tamarind pods. Place the tamarind pulp and seeds in a medium pot and add 4 cups water.
6
Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then remove from the heat and let cool for 15 minutes.
7
Once it’s cooled, use your hands to mash the tamarind pulp in the cooking liquid, separating the pulp from the seeds. Discard all the seeds.
8
In a blender, combine the tamarind cooking liquid, tamarind pulp, lime juice, and Spiced Syrup and blend until smooth. Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a 2-quart pitcher or airtight container. Add a pinch of salt, stir, and taste. Cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
9
Pour into tall ice-filled glasses and garnish each with a cinnamon stick, or a star anise pod, or one of each.
Ingredients
For the Spiced Syrup
1⁄4-inch-thick slice fresh ginger
1 cinnamon stick
5 allspice berries
2 cups sugar
For the Drink
1 cup dried tamarind pods
½ cup plus 1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 cup Spiced Syrup (ingredients above; recipe above right)
salt
cinnamon sticks or star anise pods, for garnish
Directions
1
Make the spiced syrup: Put the ginger in a medium pot along with 2 cups water. Using a muddler, gently crush the ginger enough to break it up a bit. Bring the water to a boil.
2
Meanwhile, in a small skillet, toast the cinnamon and allspice until fragrant and warm, 2–3 minutes.
3
Add the toasted spices to the boiling ginger water and boil for about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let it steep for 15 minutes.
4
Add the sugar and stir until it has dissolved. Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bottle or airtight container and store in the fridge until ready to use.
5
Make the drink: Remove the hard outer shells of the dried tamarind pods. Place the tamarind pulp and seeds in a medium pot and add 4 cups water.
6
Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then remove from the heat and let cool for 15 minutes.
7
Once it’s cooled, use your hands to mash the tamarind pulp in the cooking liquid, separating the pulp from the seeds. Discard all the seeds.
8
In a blender, combine the tamarind cooking liquid, tamarind pulp, lime juice, and Spiced Syrup and blend until smooth. Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a 2-quart pitcher or airtight container. Add a pinch of salt, stir, and taste. Cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
9
Pour into tall ice-filled glasses and garnish each with a cinnamon stick, or a star anise pod, or one of each.
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