A simpler substitute for tamarind paste in pad Thai is the combination of lime juice and brown sugar The lime juice will cater for the tart flavour of tamarind paste while the brown sugar balances out the flavour Take it a step further and use old fashioned brown sugar which you may find under the name molasses sugarTamarind concentrate vs tamarind paste, is one better than the other?Best tamarind substitutes The best tamarind substitutes are lemon juice with sugar, or mango powder, pomegranate molasses, or Worcestershire sauce It depends on what you need the tamarind for, as it can be used both for sweet or savory dishes When substituting with lemon and sugar, you can also use lime and sugar or vinegar and sugar Tamarind Paste Substitutes 8 Best Options Cuisinevault Tamarind paste substitute tamarind sauce