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Sampalok Candy in a white bowl
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Sampalok Candy

Tamarind candy with a medley of sweet, sour, and salty flavors you won't be able to get enough of. It's super easy to make and so delicious. Roll in chili pepper to add a kick of heat!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Snack
Cuisine: Filipino
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 309kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds ripe tamarind pods
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Line a baking sheet with wax paper and set aside.
  • Hull the tamarind, removing the outer shell and inner strings to separate the fruit.
  • In a wide pan over medium heat, combine tamarind pulp, water, 1 ½ cups of the sugar and ½ teaspoon of the salt. Bring to a boil.
  • Lower heat and continue to cook, stirring and mashing with the back of a spoon, for about 15 to 20 minutes or until mixture is very thick and sticky.
  • Using a teaspoon or small cookie scoop, scoop tamarind mixture and drop in a single layer on prepared baking sheet, leaving space between each mound. Refrigerate for about 1 to 2 hours or until completely cooled and slightly hardened.
  • On a large plate, combine the remaining ½ cup sugar and ½ teaspoon salt.
  • Using the palm of hands, shape each tamarind mound into balls. Roll in sugar and salt mixture to fully coat.
  • Wrap about three to four pieces in cellophane or store in an airtight container.

Notes

  • In commercial preparations, adding mashed sweet potatoes (kamote) to extend servings economically is customary. Our recipe is pure tamarind pulp and sugar, so the resulting product is softer in texture. Refrigerate the cooked mixture until completely cool to make shaping and rolling easier.
  • Use a small cookie scoop to portion the candies quickly and evenly.
  • Add chili powder to the sugar-salt coating mixture for a delicious hint of spice.

Nutrition

Calories: 309kcal | Carbohydrates: 80g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.05g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 216mg | Potassium: 475mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 63g | Vitamin A: 23IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 2mg