DrinksEasy

Tamarind Water

Name: Tamarind Water
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 2 litres Water; 180 g Sugar; 250 g Tamarind pods; 2 cups Ice

30 min (15 prep + 15 cook) Easy 8 servings Nacional

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 4 Feb 2026 · Updated: 28 Apr 2026

Sweet-and-sour agua fresca made from natural tamarind pulp.

About this recipe

Agua de tamarindo is a gloriously tangy, sweet-and-sour drink made by simmering tamarind pods in water, straining off the seeds and fibres, and sweetening to taste. Its bold, refreshing flavour makes it a perfect thirst-quencher on hot days and an ideal accompaniment to any Mexican meal.

History & Origin

Tamarind is native to tropical Africa and arrived in México via two colonial routes: from Spain through the Antilles, and from Asia aboard the Manila Galleon that connected the Philippines with Acapulco in the sixteenth century. Along the Mexican coasts it found perfect growing conditions and became deeply embedded in the culinary culture, not only as an agua fresca but also in chilli-coated sweets, ice lollies and sauces. Agua de tamarindo forms part of the sacred trilogy of Mexican aguas frescas alongside horchata and jamaica, and is served in the distinctive glass vitrolero jars that adorn fondas and markets across the country. In Oaxaca and Guerrero a special version is prepared with piquín chilli that combines the sweet-sour tang of tamarind with an unmistakably Mexican spicy kick.

Estimated cost

£4.64

Total cost

£0.58

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

100

Calories

0.5g

Protein

24g

Carbohydrates

0.2g

Fat

Fibre

10mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Peel the tamarind pods, removing the hard outer shell and the fibrous veins. Keep the pulp with the seeds.
2
Place the tamarind pulp in a saucepan with 1 litre of water. Boil over medium heat for 10-15 minutes until the pulp is soft and breaks apart.
💡 If using ready-peeled tamarind paste, reduce the boiling time to 5 minutes.
3
Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly. Using your hands or a spoon, break up the pulp in the water, separating it from the seeds and fibres.
4
Strain through a sieve, pressing well to extract all the pulp. Discard the seeds and fibres.
5
Add the remaining litre of cold water and the sugar. Stir until completely dissolved. Taste and adjust: add more sugar if you want it sweeter, or more water if it is too concentrated.
💡 Tamarind is naturally very sour, so the amount of sugar is entirely down to personal taste.
6
Refrigerate until well chilled. Serve in glasses with ice. Stir the jug before serving, as the pulp tends to settle.