Making Tamarind Paste

Is there a particular candy that evokes childhood memories for you? My most turbulent teenage years can be conjured up by the sweet, sour, and spicy flavor of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/PELON-PELO-RICO-Tamarind-Candy/dp/B005CUM0D8" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">Pelon Pelo Rico</a>, a soft tamarind candy popular in Mexico. I grew up in East San Jose, a neighborhood in Santa Clara county, where diverse residents migrated from all over the world. Many of my friends were from Mexico, Vietnam, and the Philippines, so early on, I was exposed to cuisines outside of Chinese and American food. Pelon Pelo Rico was probably the coolest candy you could eat, because it’s a fun candy that is almost like an activity — not like a lollipop you passively suck on. It is packaged in a colorful, short, fat, plastic syringe. When you remove the cap, it exposes a flat grid riddled with holes where the soft candy is extruded. You’d push the plunger at the bottom, and the candy grows out like tiny wiggly worms — like the snakes on Medusa’s head or <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Play-Doh-Mini-Crazy-Cuts-Set/dp/B0843N343R/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=playdoh+haircut+set&qid=1683747178&sr=8-6" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">Play-Doh’s Mini Crazy Cuts</a>. When you were satisfied with the length, you would lick the top off (almost like you were giving it a haircut), and the tangy, sugary paste would melt in your mouth triggering a rush of endorphins. <a href="https://blog.tastytime.com/making-tamarind-paste-f53443e64362">Website</a>