Kamalaya’s Ginger Tamarind Cooler Recipe

This South Asian-influenced recipe from the beautiful Kamalaya Koh Samui, Wellness Sanctuary & Holistic Spa is not only refreshing and tasty, it’s chock-full of health-promoting vitamins and minerals. With plenty of ginger, tahini and tamarind, this cooler can help the body digest foods and stimulate a sluggish bowel. You can find tahini and tamarind at most Asian and specialty food stores.

Tahini paste is primarily made of sesame seeds, which are full not only of manganese and copper, but also calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, vitamin B1, zinc and dietary fiber. Copper can help reduce some of the pain and swelling from rheumatoid arthritis and magnesium is known to support vascular and respiratory health.

With a sweet and sour flavor profile, tamarind is a strong source of antioxidants and is full of carotenes, vitamin C, flavanoids and the B-vitamins. The juice of tamarind, which is used in this recipe, is known to be a mild laxative and can also be used in a gargle to relieve sore throats. Applied to the skin, it is said to help reduce inflammation, and the pulp, leaves and flowers (in various combinations) of the tamarind tree can be applied on painful and swollen joints. Try using sweet tamarind if regular tamarind proves to be too sour for your tastes.

Have you tried tamarind before? If you have a chance to give this recipe a try, let us know what you think!

Ginger Tamarind Cooler (Makes approx. 3 cups):

Ingredients:

1 lb of green apples, about 3 medium apples
1.4 oz. ginger, about a 2” piece
1¼ cups coconut water
2 tsp tahini paste
2 tbsp tamarind, dried, about a golf ball size
2 tbsp water

Instructions:

1. Soak the dried tamarind in the water for a few minutes. Once the tamarind is softened, squeeze it with your fingers to separate the flesh from the stone; strain through a fine sieve, reserving the liquid.
2. Extract the juice from the green apples and ginger using a juicer.
3. Combine the green apple and ginger juice, tamarind liquid and all other ingredients into a blender. Add a few ice cubes and blend on medium speed for about 30 seconds.

About Kamalaya Koh Samui
Located on the beachfront on the tropical southern coastline of Koh Samui, Thailand, Kamalaya integrates healing therapies from East and West. The wellness sanctuary and holistic spa is inspired by healthy cuisine, holistic fitness practices and customized wellness programs. Guests can retreat to take part in a variety of programs such as Detoxification, Optimal Fitness, Ideal Weight and Yoga Synergy.