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Best tamarind concentrate (Indian), according to chefs

Two picks, each tied to a named taster and a public source — from Arlyn Osborne, Lara Lee, Shri Repp and Melissa Clark. Recommendations come from seriouseats.com, foodandwine.com and nytimes.com.

International Pantry · The ranking

  1. 1
    Top pick

    Tamicon Tamarind Concentrate

    Chosen by
    Also chosen by
    Osborne recommends Tamicon “for its smooth consistency and moderate tartness,” and Lara Lee tells Food & Wine readers to “look for Tamicon brand” for high-quality concentrate. Serious Eats’ tamarind guide uses it as the Indian example: black, sticky and more intense, so a teaspoon goes a long way. Don’t swap it 1:1 into Thai recipes, which want the thinner, milder Thai paste. Sold at Indian grocers and on Amazon.
    Where to buy · Amazon ↗Instacart ↗Source: seriouseats.com ↗
  2. 2

    Laxmi Natural Tamarind Concentrate

    Chosen by
    Clark’s answer to quick tamarind without soaking a block: “The answer is Laxmi Natural Tamarind Concentrate. More like a paste than an extract, it has the texture and color of thick apple butter and all the pure sweet-and-sour taste of tamarind pulp… a lazy cook’s dream.” Thicker and milder than Tamicon; when a recipe wants tamarind water from a block, she thins it two parts paste to one part water. Sold at Indian grocers and on Amazon.
    Where to buy · Amazon ↗Instacart ↗Source: nytimes.com ↗

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Questions, answered

What is the best tamarind concentrate (Indian), according to chefs?
MyTastr’s top pick is Tamicon Tamarind Concentrate, chosen by Arlyn Osborne (recipe developer, Serious Eats); Lara Lee (chef, author of Coconut & Sambal). Osborne recommends Tamicon “for its smooth consistency and moderate tartness,” and Lara Lee tells Food & Wine readers to “look for Tamicon brand” for high-quality concentrate. Serious Eats’ tamarind guide uses it as the Indian example: black, sticky and more intense, so a teaspoon goes a long way. Don’t swap it 1:1 into Thai recipes, which want the thinner, milder Thai paste. Sold at Indian grocers and on Amazon. Source: seriouseats.com ↗
What are the other top picks for tamarind concentrate (Indian)?
No. 2 is Laxmi Natural Tamarind Concentrate, chosen by Melissa Clark (The New York Times). Only two picks cleared the bar so far. Each card above links to the original source.
How does MyTastr choose these picks?
Every pick is tied to a named chef, cookbook author or food expert and links to the public interview, panel or article it came from. We survey dozens, often hundreds, of top chefs, food writers and critics, and order reflects how often and how strongly a brand is recommended. Only organic recommendations count — paid endorsements don’t — and brands can’t buy a spot. Read how we pick.

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