Chilled Zanzibar Spiced Tamarind and Ginger Cooler with Lime and Mint

Break the tamarind pulp into pieces and place it in a heatproof bowl. Bring 3 cups of the water to a boil and pour it over the pulp, then let it soak for 20 minutes until softened.

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1 cup seedless tamarind pulp (about 8 ounces)
• 6 cups water, divided
• 1 (3-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 whole cloves
• 2 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
• 1/2 cup honey or raw cane sugar, plus more to taste
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 large handful fresh mint leaves, plus sprigs for garnish
• 1 lime, cut into wheels, for garnish
• Crushed ice for serving

Instructions

1. Break the tamarind pulp into pieces and place it in a heatproof bowl. Bring 3 cups of the water to a boil and pour it over the pulp, then let it soak for 20 minutes until softened.
2. Meanwhile, combine the remaining 3 cups of water with the sliced ginger, cinnamon stick, cloves and crushed cardamom pods in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook gently for 10 minutes, then remove from the heat and let the spices steep for another 10 minutes.
3. Work the softened tamarind with your fingers or a wooden spoon, squeezing the pulp against the side of the bowl until it breaks down into a thick, muddy liquid.
4. Strain the tamarind liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a large pitcher, pressing hard on the solids to extract every bit of pulp, then discard the fibers.
5. Strain the spiced ginger infusion into the same pitcher, discarding the whole spices.
6. Stir in the honey while the liquid is still warm so it dissolves completely, then add the lime juice and salt.
7. Taste and balance — tamarind is aggressively sour, so keep adding honey a tablespoon at a time until the drink lands somewhere between tart and refreshing rather than puckering.
8. Bruise the mint leaves between your palms and drop them into the pitcher, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours until thoroughly cold.
9. Strain out the mint leaves just before serving so they do not turn bitter.
10. Fill tall glasses with crushed ice, pour the cooler over, and garnish each with a lime wheel and a fresh mint sprig.
11. Zanzibar built its fortune on cloves, cinnamon and cardamom, and those spices still perfume everything the island drinks. Tamarind — ukwaju in Swahili — is the sour backbone of the East African pantry, sold in sticky blocks in every market from Stone Town to Dar es Salaam. Sweetened, spiced and served over crushed ice, it is the drink that vendors ladle out along the waterfront at sunset, when the heat finally begins to let go.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 115 kcal
• Protein: 1g
• Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 30g
• Fiber: 2g
• Sugar: 26g
• Sodium: 105mg