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Jayshree,

Yes you may use the way Chithra has written. The only thing is that you have to refrigerate once it is opened. Only when preservatives are not added, you need to refrigerate otherwise, it will stay good even in room temperature.

However, I feel the taste is not the same as we with our regular tamarind. I normally do paste at home for 1kilo tamarind or 1/2 kilo and store in the fridge which lasts upto 6-8months or sometime even longer depending on the frequency that I use it. It is quite easy to prepare.

Hi jayashree.

yes we can use it for sambar. u need not refrigerate it. it will not get spoiled.

but use it in very less quantity for sambar as this is in paste form.half spoon should be more than enough.

just add some water to that half spoon of paste, dissolve it and then use it so that it mixes well.

I have used this when i was in US. I find it very convinent to use paste rather than the usual tamarind where we need to filter.

I don't believe there is any preservative. tamarinds don't need any preservative as such.

hope this helps.

 Chitra

Thanks ...for the info...

pls tel me which brand i can use it....(which has no preservative)

(yesterday i bought ...mother receipes tamarind paste..which is free from  class II preservative..(.appadina enna )?  ...means no preservativa ?)

i want to use the brand which doesnt contain preservative..

and also its mentioned in the pack...refrigerate after opening...

I second chitra..I used it when I was in UK...bcos anga puli kidaikardhu kashtam..moreover this paste was easy to use..even for coconut ..I used coconut powder or coconut paste..anyhow taste is the same la...inga enna brand available nu theriyala J..

Jayasree.. sorry .. i really donno the brand because i have not bought the past here in chennai. I had bought it in US indian store and had used it there only 5 yrs before.

class II preservatives are ARE PRESERVATIVES WHICH ARE SYNTHTIC COMPOUNDS LIKE SALTS OF BENZOIC ACID

.Since they have mentioned to refrigerate, please do so. they would have added class I preservative like Vinegar or acetic acid since the tamarind is processed from its normal form.

yes offcourse, doen't make a big difference.

I've been using tamarind paste for years now.  Dabur Hommade and Priya are the brands I use. Its very convenient.  I use it for  all recipes where we use tamarind. However Vaidehi has given a better option that we can make it ourselves and store for 6 to eight months.

@ Vaidehi, Can you tell us how u prepare the paste?

I dont use tamarind paste...however if its convinient for u then u can opt for it...but refrigrate it

Jayashree..even I use it..U can use the tamarind paste in lieu of the normal tamarind...I have used Aaci and Mallika Badrinath...its really handy for lazy bones like me!!

Yes u need to refrigerate once opened..and it has a little salt added to it...so once u start using it,u will know the exact qty u have to use for each dish.

 very usefull tips

thanks to all moms

@vaidehi could u please share the process of making tamrind paste

Thanks... chitra,vai,vel,sansiv,ashajai,amala,shobana,...(i thought i can use it in caseof emergency...( tamrind..vettla..illadha time la.i can use this)...but .still i have a doubt...whether...vathakulambu...will come nicely if i use this tamrind paste...)

@vai,pls tel us how to make tamrind paste...

@lalli...thanks for ur commets too...

useful tips, vai - waiting for ur reply.

jayee .. epadi idhu elam . . . till now i ve not thought in tht angle at all

 i am using the tamarind paste for rasam and for other dishes which require little of tamarind.. fr sambar i dont use the paste; i am using the HOMEMADE (brand name) tamarind paste 

mee too exp recipe from vai

J.!!!!

Puliya karaikka koodava time illai ungalukku.. ...appadinni yosichindey anwers ellam padicha......so many gals using 'paste'...

I really had thought this 'paste' was specifically for ppl going abroad.

Puli la konjam warm water pour panni vecha, it will be ready by the time water cools down

But anyway, i dont think any readymade products will be made without preservatives. Else u can do as Vai suggests.

 @Anu...

wat u say is very true....

....in oven if i keep just 1 second...immediately also i can use...hardly takes a 

minute...

indha question ketadhaley dhan....VAIDEHIs ....superb idea of TAMARIND PASTE RECEIPE...kedaichudhu  (waiting from vai to tel...)....

(as i am getting tamarind from  pulianthoppe...(and coconut from thengai thoppu...(both belongs to my motherinlaws...)  phuli i am getting huge...i dont know how to use it....

and from thengai...anyways getting oil....(coconut i use.)....hehehe...

i too dont like ready made products....unnaimadireyeh

but emercency ley...these products very usefull

 Hai J,

I have tried it once! But, it didnot go well for sambar or rasam which needs a comparatively mild taste. It generally tastes strong and so u can use it for Thuvayal, Vathal Kulambu, Puli Kootu etc.

And if u are not planning the entire content of a pack in one stretch, IT DEFINITELY NEEDS TO BE REFRIGERATED. It is not good to leave any liquid/ semi-solid food ingredient in open air as it will give room for micro-organisms to grow very fast.

jai ennala mudiyala,BTW im not using tamarind paste,wait our friends will give the comments

Hi

Any processed food has preservatives which normal civil people are not aware much and so always when we are in our home town better to use the direct ones. But out of curiosity i am interested in knowing about tamarind paste receipie from Vai....

Appa, super.evalavu infova!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Thanks Asha for sending me a PM about people waiting for the recipe of Tamarind paste.

I normally do it either for 1/2 or 1 kilo. Clean the Tamarind well with water and deseed them and remove any dirt that you spot or twigs, shell etc etc. Wash it thoroughly to ensure that the sand particles are removed. Squeeze the water out and take the tamarind separately for grinding. Add more water and squeeze further for grinding. Then grind the tamarind in mixie along with little water. Grind into a paste. Then add little more water and leave it for boil atleast for an hour. Moderate the gas between sim and full and stir it on and off. When it begins to boil and leaves bubbles and you get a jam consistency (pouring), remove it from the flame and add salt to it. Cool the paste and refrigerate it. You may also store them in ice cube trays so that you can use just a cube or two for sambar/rasam etc.

Trust me....this is really easy and very useful.

yes i agree on vai's answer. since everybody is busy with work, we can do it like that. Weekly once we will do our household activities. include it one more. But you can do it for monthly once.

This tamarind paste is definitely useful.