Tamarind juice

Pour hot water over block tamarind pulp and leave it for 15–20 minutes. Mash it with a spoon, then strain out the fibres and seeds; dilute the thick extract with cold water and sweeten it if needed.

Stir in sugar, honey or syrup a little at a time, then chill the drink: cold tamarind tastes less sharp. A pinch of salt can round out the sourness without making the drink much sweeter.

Its sweet-sour flavour works with chilli, ginger and lime, and it is good alongside spicy food. Tamarind also gives sauces and marinades for dishes such as pad Thai their tangy edge.

Keep it in a clean, covered bottle or jug in the fridge and use it within a few days. Freeze extra juice in small portions so you can thaw only what you need.

Yes, but nectar is usually a sweeter, ready-to-drink product, while tamarind juice may be a thinner homemade extract with a sharper taste. Start with less nectar in a recipe and reduce other sweeteners if necessary.

For a quick substitute, mix lime juice with a little brown sugar; this gives acidity and sweetness, though it lacks tamarind’s rounded, fruity depth. Add the mixture gradually to a sauce or marinade and taste as you go.

No. Tamarind pulp is the dense, sticky fruit flesh, often sold with seeds and fibres; tamarind juice is made by soaking and straining it, usually with water added.