Tamarind Drink | Nam Makham | น้ำมะขามสด

Rachel Cooks Thai: Tamarind Drink | Nam Makham | น้ำมะขามสด

y Rachel on July 23, 2011

This chilled drink made from tamarind is one of my favorites.  It is tangy and sweet and completely refreshing.

When I’m able to find fresh, sweet tamarind in the markets, this drink is one of the first things I make, even before eating it as a snack or transforming it into a sweet and savory tamarind candy.  If you’re not able to find sweet tamarind in the pod, this drink can also be made with the “wet” tamarind blocks that are readily available at most Asian markets.

It’s a very simple drink to make.  You simply squish and squeeze the tamarind flesh with water until it forms a paste.  Then dilute this tamarind paste with some additional water, add sugar, and heat until the sugar is dissolved.  Once the drink is chilled, serve over ice with some lime and mint to garnish, and you have a wonderfully refreshing treat.  It’s a perfect drink to quench your thirst on these hot summer days, or to quell the fire in your mouth after eating a spicy Thai meal!

Tamarind Drink | Nam Makham | น้ำมะขามสด

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Makes 2 servings

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup fresh tamarind or wet tamarind block
• 3 cups water
• 1/4 cup sugar
• lime slices
• 2 sprigs of mint

Instructions

1. To make tamarind paste, combine 1/2 cup of fresh, sweet tamarind fruit or pre-packaged wet tamarind block with 1 cup of hot water. Mash with your fingers until the fruit dissolves into the water. Strain the fibers and seeds out with your fingers or a fine mesh strainer. The resulting paste should be about the consistency of ketchup.
2. Heat 1/2 cup of the tamarind paste, 2 cups water, and 1/4 cup sugar over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. The sweetness of the drink will depend on your tamarind. If it's too sweet, add a little more tamarind paste or some lime juice. If it's too sour, add more sugar.
3. Cool the tamarind drink in the fridge. Fill a glass with ice and then pour the tamarind drink over. Garnish with a slice of lime and a sprig of mint.

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{ 6 comments… add one }

• 
  Patricia July 31, 2011, 11:33 am
  Hi Rachael – Where can I find “Fresh Tamarind”? Some stores sell “Pods and Paste” only. I live in Bay Area. {;>)
  Thanks and Regards, Patricia paw@feri.com
  Reply
• 
  
  

Fish Poached in Olive Oil | Mark's Daily Apple

Fish Poached in Olive Oil | Mark's Daily Apple

Just when you think you’ve cooked fish in every possible way, along comes an intriguing recipe like this one. This cooking method for seafood isn’t a new idea; the Italians and French have been doing it forever and many chefs today use it to keep fish moist while it cooks. But have you ever tried poaching fish in olive oil?

It’s nothing like deep-frying and a whole different thing than poaching in water.

Why do it?

The fish cooks quickly, with less of a chance of drying out and the flavor of the fish stays pure and mild without turning fishy or becoming bland.

The flavor of fish poached in olive oil is not oily, although you should use olive oil that you like the flavor of.


You should also choose fish with firm flesh like halibut, cod, salmon or tuna (shrimp can also be poached). Poaching in oil work best with small pieces of fish, both because the fish will cook quickly and because it allows you to use less oil. The thicker the pieces of fish are and the bigger the pot is, the more oil you’re going to need. Try to keep each piece of fish around 3 ounces, or even less by cutting the fish into small cubes.

Place the fish in a small pot or skillet and cover with olive oil. You can also add sprigs of herbs or cloves of garlic. Although they don’t add a whole lot of flavor to the fish, they do make the oil taste great. Turn the heat to medium-low and no higher. During the entire cooking process, the oil should be warm but not burning hot (less than or right at 200 °F/93 °C degrees).

You should be able to dip your finger in the oil and it won’t burn.

A 3-ounce piece of fish will cook in about 5-8 minutes, maybe a little bit longer, depending on how thick it is. When it’s done, the flesh should be moist, supple and pretty much melt in your mouth. The oil won’t have a fishy flavor. It can be strained and re-used for cooking or better yet, use it immediately to dress a salad or drizzle onto vegetables that you serve with the fish.

Ingredients:

• Pieces of boneless, skinless fish (pieces that weigh 3-ounce/85 gram or less work best)
• Olive oil
• Optional: sprigs of herbs like thyme and rosemary and peeled cloves of garlic cut in half

Instructions:

Place the fish in a small pot or skillet. Lightly season with salt. Cover completely with olive oil. Add herbs or garlic if you’d like.


Set over medium-low heat. The oil should never get hot enough to boil and bubble, however, if bubbles start forming around the fish you’ll know it’s close or already done. Small chunks take around 5-8 minutes to cook. Tuna can take longer than other types of fish.


So as not to waste oil, use as small a pot as possible and/or cut the fish into small pieces.

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Read more: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/fish-poached-in-olive-oil/#ixzz2cRcwJ8GW