Does anyone know where I can byt the ingredient Tamarind for pad thai or what i can use as a substitute?

Question

I live on the Gold Coast Queensland Australia, and am making pad thai for mothers day the one ingredient i am not sure where to go to get it is Tamarind, do the supermarkets carry it?

Answer 1

Goya brand sells tamarind juice and nectars. They are big in the US and in the Caribbean Hispanic areas. They also have it through the internet at the link below.

Answer 2

Okay, you are in QLD, so there should be no issue finding Tamarind sauce, pulp or paste from a supermarket.  It is a souring agent so vinegar can be used (but go for sherry or white wine vinegar).  

Any asian food store should sell it, especially if it specialises in Indian foodstuffs.

The brand in my refrigerator is Maharajah's Choice, a common brand in supermarkets.  I got mine at Coles or Safeway (Woolworths) last week.  Look in the Asian and Indian sections, they are usually in the same aisle anyway.

Answer 3

It's common in Asian markets - try Chinatown.  Usually comes in a small plastic container - darkish brown paste inside.  There's no real substitute for tamarind's sour/tangy taste.

Answer 4

You can substitute with Worcestershire; use equal amounts as requested in a recipe. Or, substitute fresh lime juice for the sour taste. Use 1 1/2 tsp. of fresh lime juice for 1 tsp. tamarind paste in a recipe.

Answer 5

Do you have any Indian grocery stores nearby?

They will usually carry some tamarind (usually the paste is what you need). It is sour, like citric acid or lemon juice, so maybe you could put lemon or lime juice. Problem is that tamarind is very deep in color - brownish-black, so your dish may not be dark enough. Try to get tamarind if possible...it's great and kinda exotic!

Answer 6

you can buy Dried Tamarind Pulp in most Asian Grocery Stores and some Woolworths stores now Stock it also.