A sweet-tart addition to sauces and dressings, tamarind paste—extracted from a pod-like fruit that looks sort of like a caterpillar—is available at Asian, South American, and specialty markets but is often packaged with preservatives and other additives, like citric acid, that I find distasteful. So I make my own. Though tamarind does contain carbohydrates, its benefits—phenolic antioxidants, vitamins B and C—more than make up for them. There’s some work involved in making the paste (it was hard for me the first few times), but the results—a pure, tangy product with multiple uses—sure is worth it. You’ll have leftover paste; toss it into stir-fries or curries for extra zing.
Next: kelp noodles! You’ll do a double take when you check the nutrition label on this product, typically found at health food stores or online. Since they’re made from little more than kelp and a natural binder, they’ve got virtually no calories and only 1 gram of carbs per serving, making them a worthy contender for the noodle championship. Though they can be stir-fried, I find they work best in cold salads like this one, with a market basket’s worth of raw veggies and a compelling dressing.
Serves 4 to 6
In a large bowl, whisk the tamarind paste with the coconut aminos, garlic, ginger, lime zest and juice, and chili garlic sauce. Add the kelp noodles, carrot, bell pepper, snow peas, basil, and cilantro and toss. Serve immediately.