Tamarind Mint Fizz
A muddled-mint fizz built on tamarind's sweet-sour backbone — the flavors of a Lebanese summer afternoon in a tall glass.
Ingredients
- 2 oz Tamarind concentrate — From a block (soak in warm water, strain) or store-bought concentrate; Tamicon or Al Wadi brands work well. Not tamarind chutney.
- 0.75 oz Fresh lemon juice
- 0.5 oz Simple syrup — Adjust based on tamarind's sweetness; some concentrates are already sweetened
- 10 Fresh mint leaves
- 4 oz Sparkling water — Top gently — the mint bruises easily and releases bitterness if overworked
Story
Tamarind is everywhere in Lebanese cooking — in sauces, in marinades, in the sour drinks sold at Ramadan markets — but it rarely makes it into bar programs outside the country. I asked for a mocktail that treated tamarind as a proper cocktail ingredient rather than a flavoring agent, paired with the mint that’s ubiquitous in Lebanese kitchens.
You pointed out that tamarind already behaves like citrus — it brings both tartness and sugar, meaning you need to calibrate rather than just dump it in. The key move was treating the tamarind concentrate the way you’d treat a shrub: balancing it with lemon juice for brightness and restraint on the simple syrup. The mint gets a gentle press rather than a hard muddle, which keeps it fresh and aromatic rather than grassy. The result drinks like the Lebanese version of a mojito that predates rum entirely.
Method
- Add mint leaves to the bottom of a collins glass and press gently once with a muddler — just enough to release the oils, not bruise the leaves.
- Fill the glass with large ice cubes.
- Combine tamarind concentrate, lemon juice, and simple syrup in a small shaker or mixing vessel and stir to integrate.
- Pour the tamarind mixture over the ice.
- Top slowly with sparkling water and give one gentle stir.
- Garnish with a mint sprig (slapped against your palm first to wake up the aroma) and a lemon wheel.
Notes
- Tamarind concentrate varies enormously. If using a block, soak a walnut-sized piece in 4 oz warm water for 20 minutes, then press through a strainer — you’ll get a richer, more complex concentrate than most bottles.
- A small pinch of sumac stirred into the tamarind mixture before building adds a fruity, resinous tartness that’s distinctly Levantine and pairs beautifully with the mint.
- For a ginger variation, swap half the sparkling water for ginger beer — makes it spicier and works especially well in cooler weather.
- Make-ahead: the tamarind-lemon-syrup base keeps refrigerated for up to a week; build to order with ice and sparkling water.