Tamarind

Using tater tots in chaat not only saves time, but gives you an extra crispy texture.

The sourness of tamarind breathes new life into the classic millionaire’s shortbread.

Tamarind’s sharpness takes flight in sweet desserts, its sweetly sour profile offsetting the richness of the caramel in these deeply chocolatey brownies.

In this Instant Pot konkani lobia, tangy tamarind-sauced black-eyed peas are accentuated with pieces of zucchini and butternut squash.

These air fryer salmon fillets are glazed with a sweet and tangy tamarind sauce and topped with crispy fried shallots.

For the best version of this mussel curry, use fresh mussels, not frozen mussels on the half shell.

Tamer Hindi is a refreshing sweet and sour beverage—made with tamarind, water, and sugar—that’s popular during the month of Ramadan.

This vegetarian pad Thai gets its tangy-sweet flavor and flush of heat from a sauce made with tamarind pulp, soy sauce, brown sugar, and Sriracha.

This is the juiciest pork loin ever. The secret lies in the acid from the tamarind and the slow braise.

For an easy, low-cook dinner, toss canned chickpeas with potatoes, cilantro-mint chutney, tamarind chutney, and yogurt, then top with chiles, onions, tomatoes, and chaat masala.

This peanut sauce recipe is based on my mom's version, which accompanies Gado Gado. Raw peanuts are roasted on the stovetop or in the oven, and then ground. You'll also have to hunt down tamarind pulp and lime leaves, but it's worth the trouble—the addition of freshly roasted peanuts and fragrant herbs makes for unsurpassed flavor.

Marinating chicken wings in a base of tamarind purée, fish sauce, brown sugar, crushed red pepper flakes, and cumin gives optimal flavor and just-enough char.

While it is not uncommon to find ginger blended into limeades, lemonades, and fresh sugarcane juice in India, it also pairs nicely with tamarind. Serve cold and give it a good stir before drinking.    This recipe is made with tamarind pulp, which contains large seeds that you will need to remove. Avoid the temptation to use concentrates. They’re more convenient because they don’t have seeds, but they don’t taste nearly as fresh.

This sweet-and-sour glaze will work on other proteins like chicken, steaks, or ribs.

Frying the paneer in a little oil before stirring it through the masala not only makes it crispy—it also adds loads of flavor.