Hey everyone!
Today, I’m sharing a classic Jamaican treat- with a little twist of course! These Tamarind Bliss Balls are just that: pure bliss. They are made with just a few simple ingredients and make the perfect snack.
Let’s be real, tamarind is kind of an oddity. Most of you are probably familiar with tamarind paste, but have you ever wondered where tamarind actually comes from? Is tamarind a fruit? Is it a bean? Turns out, tamarind is a fruit from the tamarind tree. The “fruit” is a long brown bean pod encased in a hard shell and inside the shell hides a sweet, tangy paste surrounding many inedible seeds. How you prepare tamarind depends on the type of cuisine you plan to make. For example, many Indian recipes call for you to cook tamarind to make a chutney, or other sauce. However in Jamaica, one of the most common ways to eat tamarind is as a snack, made by rolling tamarind paste and sugar (lots of sugar) into a ball.
I really enjoy traditional tamarind balls, but I thought I’d try to make it a bit healthier by incorporating medjool dates as a natural sweetener instead of sugar. Like tamarind, dates are soft and sticky, so they act like a glue. Dates a commonly used to make bliss balls, which I love! What I really like about bliss balls is that you can really experiment with them and can come up with some really fun combinations.
For my tamarind bliss balls, I kept things pretty simple and used tamarind paste, softened dates, walnuts, and some dried cherries. The walnuts add some healthy fats, and the cherries help cut the sweetness of the dates as well as the tangy flavor of the tamarind. I then rolled the balls in some cane sugar to give them the look of traditional tamarind balls, but you can try rolling them in shredded coconut as well. Look at how beautiful these little beauties are!
As always, give this recipe a try and let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
Tamarind Bliss Balls
Ingredients
- 8 medjool dates pitted
- 2 tbsp tamarind paste*
- 1 tbsp walnuts chopped
- 1 tbsp dried cherries
Instructions
- In a food processor, pulse dates and tamarind paste until mixture forms a sticky ball. Then add in your mix ins (cherries, walnuts) and pulse to incorporate.
- Using a tablespoon measure or a small cookie dough scoop, take a handful of the tamarind batter and roll into a ball with your hands. Wet your hands before starting this step as the mixture will be very sticky. Optional: roll the balls in cane sugar or shredded coconut
- Store the balls in the fridge for 20-30 minutes before eating to allow them to firm up. Store the balls in the fridge to extend their shelf life.
- *NOTE: If you start with tamarinds in the shell instead of tamarind paste like I did, make sure to remove the shell and let the tamarinds soak in a little water for 15-20 minutes. Then gently rub the paste from the seeds and follow the instructions above.
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