Tamarind is a wonderful ingredient that is not found routinely in Western kitchens. Whole tamarind pods can be opened up, boiled, and strained to produce a tamarind paste that is very tart and sour. You can also buy premade tamarind paste, which is easier to work with.
This recipe below is for two Sour Tamarind Margaritas.
![](https://chefsclubkitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/shutterstock_1119218624-scaled.jpg)
Sour Tamarind Margarita
Ingredients
- 2 margarita glasses, (chilled in freezer)
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp white granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp kosher salt
- 3 oz tequila or mezcal, (chilled)
- 1.5 oz tamarind paste
- 1 oz water
- 3 oz lime juice
- 1 oz simple syrup
- Ice, (to chill drink and also to fill margarita glasses)
Instructions
- Chill two margarita glasses in the freezer.
- Mix together the smoked paprika, sugar, and kosher salt in a wide, flat-bottomed bowl that is wide enough to accommodate the margarita glass. This will serve as the seasoning spice mix to go around the edge of your margarita glasses.
- When your glasses are very cold and your drink ingredients are prepped, remove glasses from the freezer.
- Lightly dip the rim of the cocktail glasses in the paprika, sugar, and salt mix and set glasses aside.
- *Some bartenders will serve a half-rim, where half of the rim of the glass is clean and the other half contains the salty spice blend. Do whatever you want!
- Combine the chilled tequila or mezcal with the tamarind paste, water, lime juice, and simple syrup in a shaker with ice.
- Shake vigorously for 15 seconds.
- Strain drink into chilled margarita glasses, over ice.
- Enjoy cold.
Notes
If you prefer a version of this cocktail that is more or less tart, feel free to augment the quantity of water and/or tamarind paste.