Discovering New Favorites: Moniegold Tamarind Candy from Thailand

I am not a big fan of candies, cakes, ice creams but am a fan of coffee, yoghurt and chocolates. 🙂 I’m writing this post to remind my friends since my birthday is coming up \o/ hahaha.

For those watching out for a travel related blog post or a food trip article from Penfires, this one is not. So you can close the browser now, but pleaseee don’t? ^_^

Anyhow there are moments, you can call it kismet, when something falls on your lap, on your path, on your life, accidentally or not and you just find ‘it’. Whatever that ‘it’ may be to you, it’s what you have to have at that instant. It’s what you need; it’s what you want even though you are not aware of it. Its Iike the universe conspire to bring that something or someone to come knocking to be let in your life.

I know I am not making sense; I seldom am when I am just rambling and blabbing.

When I really like something, I really like something that often times I can’t help myself but talagang ipagpipilitan ko sa mga kapamilya at kaibigan yung mga bago kong discovery. Yep, I want to spread joy and happiness kasi, so even though if baka ako lang ang makagusto sa isang bagay, product or pagkain, naku aasahan na ng mga kaibigan ko na pati sila itatry kong i-convert or at least to try that thing that I like. Forced their hand ika nga. =)

Example, movies and books, naku ang dami ng instances na mga libro talagang ipagpipilitan kong basahin ng mga kaibigan kasi nga maganda. Hinihiram naman nila sa akin yung books, I’m just not sure if they read it or just borrowed the books to humor me and to shut me up hahahhah.

The point is I can be very persistent and persuasive. Lol.

Anyhow, tapos eto nagkaroon ako ng blog, my recruitment base widened hahaha. 

You’d be surprised that all these drama is for a chewy tamarind candy hahahah. Anti-climatic ano? Hehehe

Anyhow =)

Discovering Tamarind Candy from Thailand

I was on my usual trip to the Snack Bar in SM Cebu looking for a Malaysian brand of chocolate, Beryl’s Tiramisu. I really love that but darn I can’t find that brand here in Cebu. I know SM don’t carry it but it doesn’t stop me from searching each time I drop by the Snack Bar hehe. Persistence or Foolishness? Heheh. Another favorite of mine is Japan’s Mejie Coffeebeat, love the coffee flavor chocolates.

So there I was checking out some candy and chocolate shelves when this unpretentious plastic container containing brown mini balls caught my attention. I later found out it was a Thai brand of tamarind candies called “Moniegold”.

Tamarind is a popular export product from Thailand. You can find various tamarind candies in Asian stores if you are in the US or Europe or in the sari-sari stores and groceries in the Philippines. Tamarind or sampalok in our language is also a hit here sa Pinas. Unfortunately, our tamarind candies are not as well packaged as Thais versions are. The closest we have to a commercially well-packaged candy is a Cebu product “7D Mangorind”, a perfect combination of mango and tamarind formed into balls. I also love it!

Back to the story, I took one Moniegold and made another round checking the other candy and chocolate selections, took some chocolate bars. Because I am not monied, I have to choose between the chocolates and the tamarind chews. At that time, I went for my tried and tested choco favorites.

The following visit, I am again drawn to the stall with the tamarind. Again I look at it but did not take one. Out of budget so have to say no and take chocolates instead.

The third time that I found myself standing in front of the shelves with the tamarind candy chews; I have to give in, took one and paid for it.

Monie Tamarind Candies from Thailand

Because I am one of those kids who have no chance of surviving a marshmallow test, that’s according to my boyfriend, the plastic container was opened in no time at all. 🙂

Need I say my verdict? 🙂

Get your dose of sour – hot – tarty blend candy by trying this one. Recommended!

It’s up to you if you would rather suck the candy or chew it like I do. I like chewing because the flavor burst in my mouth and I can feel a lil bit of burning as the chilis do its wonders. Just a note some people can’t take the spiciness of this tamarind candy like my brother.

Of course, the real tamarind fruit (or is it berry? or pod?) taste the best especially if  ripe and isawsaw sa asin! But it’s rare to find tamarind tree or puno ng sampalok ngayon kaya I’m happy with my Tamarind candies.  I’ve been buying it each time I’m at SM and if you know my routine you know I’m in SM often hehe.  😀

Tip: Those in the canisters are more maanghang or ‘hot’ than those tamarind candies in sachet or packet. I don’t know why but there is really a difference between the two based on my tastebuds’ “Scoville scale”.  Weird both products come from the same manufacturer though.  I wonder if those in the sachets are second grade, second class candy because they are cheaper by a few cents? Hehehe but in any case, I still like and recommend the Moniegold chewy tamarind candy in sachets although I love more the ones that comes in the plastic container.

To compromise what I do now is buy 1 container and 1 sachet of this favorite tamarind candy. Open the sachet and mix the tamarind with those in the container, solves my issue. Lol.

Monie Tamarind Candy Price in SM Snack Bar:

Container 80 grams – P32.75

Packets 50 grams – P15.75

Have some imported sampalok candy hehehe =)

If you love tamarind and love teasing your tastebud with a good mix of flavor, get one of these Thailand export product – Moniegold Chewy Tamarind Candy. No artificial flavor according to the label. 🙂

Heyyy maybe you have a favorite brand of tamarind candy? Care to share it with us pretty please 🙂

If I get to go for a Thailand vacation, I’ll bring some tamarind chews as pasalubong for friends and family. I won’t tell if it’s coming from Thailand itself or from one of the shelves at SM. Haha.