Tamarind and coconut are like a love affair in the kitchen. They go perfectly with each other from curry to even a dessert. It doesn’t get any better than these two sweet and sour friends in one dish. Adding your favorite meatballs, this dish is about to become your new best friend.
Tamarind is an acidic fruit that is commonly used in South Asian, Southeast Asian, and Caribbean cuisines. It’s also known as Indian lemon, Indian lime, or tamarindo. Although it has a sour taste, tamarind actually contains more sugar than acid. It has a unique flavor that works well in savory recipes.
Coconut and tamarind both have anti-inflammatory properties that help combat stress and anxiety while improving digestion at the same time. And did I mention how great they taste together?
This tamarind coconut meatballs dish is quick and easy that you can whip up on a busy weeknight. They go great with pasta, rice, and garlic toast.
The recipe for this dish is actually pretty simple.
How to Make Tamarind Coconut Meatballs

Tamarind Coconut Meatballs
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons tamarind paste
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon ginger powder
- minced garlic
- 6 ounces coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- corn starch
- frozen meatballs
- cilantro
Instructions
- Chop the meatballs in half so it is easier to bite
- In a pan, saute the minced garlic with the meatballs for 2 - 3 minutes
- Add coconut milk, tamarind paste, fish sauce, ginger powder, and sugar. Continue cooking for another 3 minutes
- Add water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for another 10 minutes
- Toward the end, you can either add 1 teaspoon of cornstarch directly to the pan and wait for a few minutes for the sauce to get that creamy consistency and turn off the heat. Or, mix the cornstarch with hot water in a bowl, then add the cornstarch to the sauce, it'd get thicken right away.
- Don't forget to garnish with back pepper and chopped cilantro
- Enjoy