Ol Time Sinting!.. (Chapter 1)

I have a campaign on Gofundme.com (https://www.gofundme.com/2jd9kckw) for a Cookbook project entitled "Ol Time Sinting" which hasn't even received the FIRST donation yet! Please Do visit the Campaign page and share, comment, repost it on your social media profiles and by all means donate if you can! Every little helps.. and any and all assistance received will be appreciated and put to good use in the production process.

In order to create more publicity, attention, awareness, and allow an opportunity to sample the types of stories and recipes that the book will offer. I promise readers of this blog an exclusive preview of the Ol Time Sinting platter as I will share a sample story and recipe with you all once a month.

This is the FIRST of these Ol Time Sinting recipes and I thought we would start it off really simply with some of the old fashioned snacks and sweets that we all love and know very well here in Jamaica. Sweets like Tamarind balls, Coconut drops, Peanut cake, Grater cake (Red Top) and Gizzarda have been made lovingly and sold by street vendors for as long as any of us can remember. These can be found sold in the streets in most busy town centres, but especially downtown by Coronation Market, Kings Street or Parade or near to any popular Market in Jamaica.

My favourite of these is the traditional Tamarind ball, which is so delicious, tangy, sweet and sour made with just Tamarind and sugar.

March is usually tamarind season in Jamaica and the Caribbean. Even though “Tamarind Balls” are available year round the homemade version of the sweet & sour delight are especially popular during the season. “Tamarind Balls” are popular throughout the Caribbean and there are various recipes and variations.  Here is a simple “Tamarind Balls “recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2 lb of Tamarinds (shells removed)
• 1 ½  cups brown sugar
• ½ cup  white sugar (granulated)
• 2 tablespoons red rum (optional – helps to preserve it)
• 2 table spoons flour (optional – helps to bind the mixture)

Method:

1. Shell the tamarind pods and remove the strings from the pulp.
2. Put the pulp in a bowl. 
3. Optional  – Sprinkle the red rum evenly over the pulp.
4.  Add the white and brown sugar (set aside a little brown sugar)
5. Optional – Add the flour as it helps to bind every
6. Knead with your hands until the tamarind mixture is like dough
7. Break up the tamarind mixture into bite-size portions
8. Shape them into balls
9. Roll the tamarind balls in the sugar you set aside for more sweetness if desired.
10. Store in a cool area or the refrigerator

Recipe sourced from Jamaicans.com