Tamarind Balls

A traditional sweet and sour treat.

Makes 30 tamarind balls

4 cups tamarind pulp
1/2 cup boiling water

1 tbsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

4 cups sugar

1/2 tsp hot chile powder (ie: habanero)

Separate the tamarind into clumps.

Work in the baking soda and salt and pour boiling water on tamarind.

Mix until the water is absorbed and the seeds separate from the pulp

Remove the seeds

Mix in 2 cups of sugar and the chile powder (optional) and blend.

Cover and leave at room temperature for 12 hours

Stir in the rest of the sugar and shape into balls

Give the balls a couple hours to dry out

Roll balls in sugar.

You may also be interested in Cooking with Tamarind

(add extra sugar if necessary to make the mixture firm enough
to shape into balls).