Agua de Tamarindo

Bring 4 cups of water to a boil and while you are waiting for the water to boil, prepare the tamarind pods by cracking them open and removing the shell and the strings.
When the water comes to a boil immediately remove it from the heat and place the soft tamarind and the sugar int he water. Give it a good stir and then let it soak for about 1 hour and 30 minutes.
When the water is cooled down, strain the water into another bowl. Squeeze out the hard tamarind seeds and remove any remaining seeds and toss.
Place the filtered liquid and the remaining “good” pulp from the strainer into a blender and blend until smooth. Feel free to strain the liquid again or leave it pull, as you desire.
Pour the water into a jar, add 4 more cups of cold water, and refrigerate. Serve over ice.