← Nouns Cooking · Caribbean

Ingredients

• 250 g shelled tamarind pulp with seeds (from pods or a block)
• 250 g brown sugar
• 100 g white sugar, for rolling
• ¼ tsp Salt
• 1 tsp pepper sauce or finely minced hot pepper (optional)
• 1 tbsp plain flour, if the mix is very wet (optional)

Method

1. If using pods, crack off the brittle shells and pull away the stringy fibres. Leave the seeds in, as is traditional, or pick them out.
2. Put the tamarind in a bowl with the brown sugar and salt (and the pepper, if using). Knead and squeeze it with your hands until the sugar dissolves into a thick, sticky paste.
3. If it is too wet to shape, knead in a little more brown sugar or the flour.
4. Roll into walnut-sized balls, then roll each one in the white sugar until well coated.
5. Leave on a tray for an hour to firm up, then store in an airtight jar.

Tips

• If you leave the seeds in, warn eaters (especially children) not to swallow them.
• The optional flour adds wheat; skip it to keep them gluten-free.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Simply Trini Cooking Jamaicans.com