Even before listening to a repeat episode of The Splendid Table last weekend, I had a bit of a hankering for agua fresca – having made it only once before, about a year ago, when the New York Times featured a recipe. Since I’m off solid foods for the day, why not make up a batch?

The Splendid Table’s guest Rachel Laudan spoke of the many varieties of this Hispanic favorite and what caught my ear (and a few taste buds too) were the many variations – including “an entire family based on tamarind.” With a few mouse clicks, I found Agua de tamarindo to help out with the proportions and preparation. As Ernie Banks liked to say, “Let’s play two!” and put watermelon and tamarind in the same drink.

Ingredients

• Juice from ½ watermelon (about 4 cups), strained. An easy way to do this is to cut the melon in half, scoop out the red stuff, seeds and all, run that through a blender and strain the liquid
• 6 ounces tamarind pods (about 6 pods)
• 2 cups water
• Juice from 3 limes
• ½ cup sugar
• Pinch salt

Bring water to a boil; break up tamarind into the water, making sure all is submerged, remove from heat, and cover. Allow to steep for at least two hours.

  Squeeze tamarind (do not be gentle!)  to get all the goodness out. I started out crushing with a fork, but then realized it was more fun just to squeeze them out by hand.

 To get absolutely all the solids out (say, for example, if you have been advised to drink only clear liquids), you can strain the tamarind liquid through muslin – and do the same with the watermelon and lime juices. Combine the juices, stir in the sugar and salt, and serve over crushed ice, garnished with basil.