• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Rachel Cooks Thai
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Resources
  • Pantry
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Resources
  • Pantry
  • About
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • Resources
  • Pantry
  • About
×
Home » Recipes » Drinks

Tamarind Drink | Nam Makham | น้ำมะขามสด

Written by: Rachel. Published: Jul 23, 2011 · Modified: Aug 14, 2022· This post may contain affiliate links · 9 Comments

Jump to Recipe

Tamarind Drink | Nam Makham | น้ำมะขามสด

This chilled tamarind drink is one of my favorites.  It is tangy and sweet and completely refreshing.

When I'm able to find fresh, sweet tamarind in the markets, this drink is one of the first things I make, even before eating it as a snack or transforming it into a sweet and savory tamarind candy.  If you're not able to find sweet tamarind in the pod, this drink can also be made with the "wet" tamarind blocks that are readily available at most Asian markets.  

Tamarind Drink | Nam Makham | น้ำมะขามสด

It's a very simple drink to make.  You simply squish and squeeze the tamarind flesh with water until it forms a paste.  Then dilute this tamarind paste with some additional water, add sugar, and heat until the sugar is dissolved.  Once the drink is chilled, serve over ice with some lime and mint to garnish, and you have a wonderfully refreshing treat.  It's a perfect drink to quench your thirst on these hot summer days, or to quell the fire in your mouth after eating a spicy Thai meal!

Tamarind Drink | Nam Makham | น้ำมะขามสด

 

Recipe

Tamarind Drink | Nam Makham | น้ำมะขามสด

This tamarind drink is cool and refreshing, slightly tart with just enough sweetness.
5 from 3 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: Thai
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes minutes
Servings: 2
Calories: 255kcal
Author: Rachel

Ingredients

  • ½ cup fresh tamarind or wet tamarind block
  • 3 cups water
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • lime slices
  • 2 sprigs of mint

Instructions

  • To make tamarind paste, combine ½ cup of fresh, sweet tamarind fruit or pre-packaged wet tamarind block with 1 cup of hot water. Mash with your fingers until the fruit dissolves into the water. Strain the fibers and seeds out with your fingers or a fine mesh strainer. The resulting paste should be about the consistency of ketchup.
  • Heat ½ cup of the tamarind paste, 2 cups water, and ¼ cup sugar over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. The sweetness of the drink will depend on your tamarind. If it's too sweet, add a little more tamarind paste or some lime juice. If it's too sour, add more sugar.
  • Cool the tamarind drink in the fridge. Fill a glass with ice and then pour the tamarind drink over. Garnish with a slice of lime and a sprig of mint.

Nutrition

Calories: 255kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 0.4g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.04g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 35mg | Potassium: 372mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 52g | Vitamin A: 18IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 2mg
Love this recipe?Please consider Leaving a Review!

More Thai Drink Recipes

  • Two glasses of Thai Pink Milk (Nom Yen) with pink straws.
    Thai Pink Milk (Nom Yen)
  • Thai Lime Tea known as Cha Manao with a slice of lime on the side
    Cha Manao (Thai Lime Tea)
  • Hibiscus Juice
    Hibiscus Juice | Nam Krachiap | น้ำกระเจี๊ยบ
  • Butterfly Pea Lemonade
    Butterfly Pea Lemonade | Nam Anchan Manao | น้ำอัญชันมะนาว

Reader Interactions

Comments

    5 from 3 votes (3 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




  1. Murli Menon

    April 30, 2016 at 3:49 pm

    Friends,
    In Kerala, tamarind juice is a common summer cooler, however instead of sugar you must use palm jaggery or coconut jaggery which is available in all Indian stores in USA,
    With palm jaggery and coconut jaggery this drink tastes heavenly.
    Also it becomes 100 percent vegan and can detoxify your body by excreting fluoride through urine.

    Reply
  2. Baby Kato

    March 29, 2016 at 7:26 pm

    Wow, I loved this simple recipe. Thank you so much for posting it. The Tamarind drink turned out perfect. Tart, tangy and sweet, just the way I love it. This lovely drink is very refreshing and will be made often this summer. Made for What's on the Menu Tag Game.

    Reply
    • Rachel

      March 30, 2016 at 4:00 am

      So glad to hear it!

      Reply
  3. Rachel

    April 10, 2012 at 4:55 pm

    Gosh, Stephen, I'm not really sure... I tend to drink it all pretty quickly 🙂 I do keep pad Thai sauce (which has tamarind paste in it) for a week or two in the fridge, so my guess is that it'd keep that long.

    Reply
  4. Stephen

    April 10, 2012 at 10:19 am

    I've craved this since I came across it in Cambodia. I have blocks of tamarind, which I'll need to soak and stone. I was just wondering how long you think it would keep in the fridge, if I made a big batch?

    Reply
  5. Rachel

    December 28, 2011 at 8:25 pm

    That's a good question, Charles, and I'm afraid I don't know the answer! I've never seen tamarind powder used except in soup bases and such. If you give it a try, let me know if turns out!

    Reply
  6. Charles

    December 28, 2011 at 8:21 am

    Hi Rachel,
    Thanks for the article. I cant get fresh tamrind where I am. Is tamrind powder a good substitute?
    Charles

    Reply
  7. Rachel

    July 31, 2011 at 12:49 pm

    Hi Patricia - I can consistently find fresh tamarind at Ranch 99, especially the one in Cupertino. It tends to be hidden on the lower shelves in the vegetable section there. You can also find it at many Hispanic markets (Mi Puebla, for instance) and at Southeast Asian markets (like the Lao Market in Oakland).
    For those outside of this area, my mom in Louisiana was able to find fresh tamarind at her local Wal-Mart! I haven't checked the Wal-Marts around here, but was happy to hear that it's becoming more and more available.

    Reply
  8. Patricia

    July 31, 2011 at 11:33 am

    Hi Rachael - Where can I find "Fresh Tamarind"? Some stores sell "Pods and Paste" only. I live in Bay Area. {;>)
    Thanks and Regards, Patricia

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

Rachel Cooks Thai profile
Sawadee Ka and Welcome

I'm Rachel. After falling in love with a Thai guy, I was immersed in the world of Thai food. Join me as I cook food from my husband's homeland, one delicious dish at a time!

More about me →

Follow me

  • facebook
  • instagram
  • pinterest
  • YouTube

Seasonal Recipes

  • Garlic chives stir fried with white pepper and soy sauce.
    Garlic Chives Recipe with Tofu
  • Yum Woonsen
    Yum Woonsen (Glass Noodle Salad)
  • Black Sticky Rice with Mango
    Black Sticky Rice with Mango
  • Pla Goong
    Thai Shrimp Salad | Pla Goong | พล่ากุ้ง

Popular Recipes

  • A plate of Pad Kee Mao / Drunken Noodles with rice noodles, chicken, peppers, baby corn, carrots, long beans, young green peppercorns, and holy basil from the top down view
    Thai Drunken Noodles Recipe (Pad Kee Mao)
  • Pad Kra Pao
    Holy Basil Stir Fry with Chicken | Pad Kra Pao Gai | ผัดกระเพรา
  • Som Tam
    Green Papaya Salad | Som Tum Thai | ส้มตำไทย
  • Thai Fried Tofu
    Thai Fried Tofu | Tau Hu Tod | เต้าหู้ทอด

Footer

↑ back to top

INFO

  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

BROWSE

  • Recipes
  • Guides
  • Pantry

CONNECT

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © Rachel Cooks Thai 2024

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.