This is a copycat recipe for that amazing Cheesecake Factory Tamarind Cashew Dipping Sauce. They serve it with their avocado egg rolls and their lettuce wraps.
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Back to that sauce
It’s so good, sweet and tangy, kicky sauce made with vinegars, cilantro, garlic, honey, tamarind, and cashews along with some spices. It’s rich and delicious. Oh my gosh I could dip everything in it.
Previously, I made Air Fryer Avocado Fries to go with it. But it’s so good I wanted it to have a post of its own.
What is tamarind?
Tamarind is a fruit native to Asia and northern Africa.
The tree grows pods that are about 5-inches long, that contain small seeds and a sour-sweet pulp.
Tamarind is one of the ingredients in Pad Thai that makes the dish so delicious.
It’s also an ingredient in Worcestershire sauce.
What is tamarind concentrate?
They take that tamarind pulp, harvest it, and turn it into cakes, blocks, or paste.
Normally tamarind paste and tamarind concentrate are the same product. They come in jars and are thick and smooth but spoonable.
It’s worth the time and money to find buy the tamarind paste for this sauce. It’s got a great fruity sweet and sour to a tangy and tart flavor.
Sometime you will find tamarind pulp in the stores. This tamarind pulp is different than paste or concentrate, because it’s the compressed cake form of the skinned whole fruits.
Tamarind pulp needs to be first soaked in boiling water and then rubbed through a sieve or strainer to remove the fibers and any seeds.
It may be worth buying a block of tamarind pulp rather than the ready made up paste depending on how often you use it, as the block will keep longer, and you can reconstitute the amount you need with water to make a paste.
But, if you’re only making this recipe with the tamarind, you only need ½ a teaspoon, and the recipe makes a nice big batch. So I like the small jar of tamarind concentrate for the convenience.
I bought my (affiliate link) tamarind concentrate through Amazon, but I’ve also seen it in Mexican markets, Asian markets, and Middle-Eastern markets.
What can I serve with this sauce?
Besides those Avocado Fries I mentioned. I have served this sauce with flatbread or naan, I’ve stirred a spoonful into stir fry veggies. I’ve topped grilled fish with it.
It’s delicious on any roasted veggie. Or, dip some raw veggies into it.
Try making these finger foods to dunk into it.
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Tamarind-Cashew Dipping Sauce Recipe
Tamarind-Cashew Dipping Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- ½ teaspoon tamarind concentrate or paste
- ½ cup honey
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 pinch powdered saffron or turmeric
- ½ cup chopped cashews
- 2/3 cup fresh cilantro
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 green onions
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ cup olive oil
Instructions
- Stir together vinegars, tamarind paste, honey, sugar, and saffron or turmeric in a small microwave safe bowl, and microwave for 1 minute. Stir until tamarind and sugar are dissolved.
- In a blender, puree tamarind mixture, cashews, cilantro, garlic, onions, pepper, cumin, and oil. Pour mixture into a bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Recipe Notes
Store in the fridge up to 2 weeks in an air-tight container.
Serving amounts will vary depending on how much you eat. It makes a nice big batch of sauce.
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