On a trip to the Philippines recently I came across Sampalok or Tamarind Jam for the first time. My taste is more savoury than sweet but I thought I would try it! What an eye opener!

Tamarind Jam is without doubt the best jam I have ever tasted and ate quite a lot, straight off the spoon! Delightful!

About Tamarind Jam

Tamarind Jam is a rich dark brown in colour. It has a thick texture with pieces of the fruit adding to its overall richness.

The jam’s is relatively sweet though it has a slight tartness too! A really unique taste.

Although the jam can be used as any other conventional jam, it is also used as an ingredient in other recipes particularly when cooking meat. It adds a sweetness coupled with a slight sourness that goes well with lighter coloured meats like pork and chicken.

Other uses include its use as a condiment eaten with cold meat dishes and added to rice to before serving. The flavour it adds to other foods is subtle and very different from Tamarind the spice.

Home made Tamarind Jam in the Philippines

Marilou and husband Loreto live in a stunning area next to the sea. I was amazed to see Tamarind trees growing in their garden amongst many other varieties of trees and palms. What a paradise!

I will put up a separate post with more photographs.

I watched as the Tamarind pods were harvested by Loreto and not much later a delicious smell started to waft around the place. Loreto was making Tamarind Jam and it was bubbling on the stove!

The Jam was delicious, in some part to the fact that the Tamarind had been harvested only a couple of hours earlier, but it was also home made without preservatives or any other additives which to me always tastes better!

The family certainly have a passion for food and everywhere I went, I was presented with different dishes from the cuisine of the Philippines to try. A great hospitable and friendly family.

Thank you all for making my short trip to the Philippines a gastronomic delight amongst many other good things!

A Recipe for Tamarind Jam to try yourself!

Here is a very easy and quick recipe for Tamarind Jam. I don’t know where in the UK you can buy Tamarind pods as was used in the Philippines but I used Tamarind in its block form that almost every supermarket now stocks.

The Ingredients you need for Tamarind Jam

200 grams of Tamarind
100 grams of natural cane sugar
6 Tablespoons of water
Small pinch of salt

Method for making Tamarind Jam

1 – Heat the Water until hot
2 – Add to the tamarind and let it soak for a few minutes
3 – Remove the tamarind seeds
4 – Stir in the Sugar
5 – Boil and stir until the consistency is thick
6 – Put the Tamarind Jam into sterilised jars and seal.

Enjoy your Tamarind Jam!