Tamarind is a souring agent commonly used in Indian curries and chutneys, and is also popular in Thai, Mexican, West Indies and African, Persian, Mediterranean cooking. Tamarind is frequently used in sherbet or summer drinks with added sweetner like jaggery or sugar. Tamarind makes a great secret barbeque sauce and marinade ingredient.

Traditionally used in the lentil dishes of South and west India instead of lime juice. Tamarind is a staple in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu diet, where it is used to prepare Rasam, Sambhar, Puliyogare, and various types of chutneys. Jam and syrup is made with the fruit.  In Egypt, there is an acidic chilled drink made from tamarind which is popular in summertime. It is called "tamr hindi".

In Mexico it is sold in various snack forms, where it is dried and salted, or candied (see for example pulparindo or chamoy snacks). Mexicans commonly drink it as a cold agua fresca beverage or have it in iced fruit bars and raspados.

Pad Thai, a Thai dish popular with Europeans and Americans, often includes tamarind for its tart/sweet taste (with lime juice added for sourness and fish sauce added for saltiness). A tamarind-based sweet-and-sour sauce served over deep-fried fish is also a common dish in Central Thailand. In Singapore and Malaysia it is used to add a sweet-sour taste to gravy for fish in a dish called asam fish. In the Philippines it is used to add a sour taste in Sinigang soup. The leaves are also distinctly tart in flavor, and are used in many soups in the North Eastern part of Thailand.