Tamarind
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Tamarind

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Caesalpinioideae
Tribe: Detarieae
Genus: Tamarindus
Species: T. indica
Binomial name
Tamarindus indica
L.
This article refers to the tree. For other uses see Tamarindo (disambiguation).
The Tamarind (Tamarindus indica) (from the Arabic: تمر هندي tamar hindi = Indian date) is in the family Fabaceae. The genus Tamarindus is monotypic (having only a single species). It is a tropical tree, native to tropical Africa, including parts of the Madagascar dry deciduous forests, the tree grows wild throughout the Sudan and was so long ago introduced into and adopted in India that it has often been reported as indigenous there also, and it was apparently from India that it reached the Persians and the Arabs who called it "tamar hindi" (Indian date, from the date-like appearance of the dried pulp), giving rise to both its common and generic names. Unfortunately, the specific name, "indica", also perpetuates the illusion of Indian origin. The fruit was well known to the ancient Egyptians and to the Greeks in the 4th Century B.C.
The tree has long been naturalized in the East Indies and the islands of the Pacific. One of the first tamarind trees in Hawaii was planted in 1797. The tamarind was certainly introduced into tropical America, Bermuda, the Bahamas, and the West Indies much earlier. In all tropical and near-tropical areas, including South Florida, it is grown as a shade and fruit tree, along roadsides and in dooryards and parks. There are commercial plantings in Mexico, Belize and other Central American countries and in northern Brazil. In India there are extensive tamarind orchards producing 275,500 tons (250,000 MT) annually. The pulp is marketed in northern Malaya and to some extent wherever the tree is found even if there are no plantations.


A Tamarind seedling
The tree can grow up to 20 m in height, and stays evergreen in regions without a dry season. Tamarind timber consists of hard, dark red heartwood and softer, yellowish sapwood. The leaves consist of 10–40 leaflets. The flowers are produced in racemes. The fruit is a brown pod-like legume, which contains a soft acidic pulp and many hard-coated seeds. The seeds can be scarified to enhance germination.
Alternative names include Indian date, translation of Arabic تمر هندي tamr hindī. In Malaysia it is called asam in Malay and swee boey in Hokkien (Min Nan). In Indonesia it is called asem (or asam) Jawa (means Javanese asam) in Indonesian. In the Philippines it is called sampaloc in Tagalog and sambag in Cebuano. In Oriya it is called tentuli. In Hindi it is called imli. In Marathi it is called chinch. In Bangla, the term is tẽtul. In Sinhala the name is siyambala, in Telugu it is called chintachettu (tree) and chintapandu (fruit extract) and in Tamil and Malayalam it is puli. In Kannada it is called hunase. In Malagasy it is called voamadilo. The Vietnamese term is me. In Puerto Rico it is called "tamarindo". The tamarind is the provincial tree of the Phetchabun province of Thailand (in Thailand it is called ma-kham). In Taiwan it is called loan-tz.
Tamarind (Tamarindus indica) should not be confused with the Manila tamarind (Pithecellobium dulce), which is an entirely different plant, though also in Fabaceae.


Tamarindus leaves and pod
Uses

The fruit pulp is edible and popular. It is used as a spice in both Asian and Latin American cuisines, and is also an important ingredient in Worcestershire sauce, HP sauce and the Jamaican-produced Pickapeppa sauce [1]. The hard green pulp of a young fruit is very tart and acidic and is most often used as a component of savory dishes. The ripened fruit is sweeter, yet still distinctively sour, and can be used in desserts and sweetened drinks, or as a snack. In Thailand, there is a carefully cultivated sweet variety with little to no tartness grown specifically to be eaten as a fresh fruit.

Always have a stash.

Always have a stash.

INSATIABLE said:

Of hot chicks? Or whatever tamarind is?

balls

INSATIABLE said:

Of hot chicks? Or whatever tamarind is?

RodeoSchro said:

You're from Texas, right? Tamarind is huge in Mexico. Do you guys eat a lot of Mexican candy/food?

And I attract more hot chicks than I can handle. Seriously.

Tamarind curry.

INSATIABLE said:

Yep, Houston to be exact. Pralines and flan are the popular desserts in the local Mexican restaurants.

it's nice in asian stir fry veggies

never had the fruit itself though
[Edited 3/20/08 13:05pm]

I usually eat my tamarind as a paste. I use it in the place of peanut butter a lot of the time. It's great on toast. Tamarind and Nutella mixed together is a guilty pleasure.

It comes in little bright tubes that you can squeeze like a Push-Pop. I eat it more often when I'm sick for some reason.

INSATIABLE said:

i was SO unaware of the actual paste!

i was given a block of tamarind paste before but it was solid, you sliced it and ate it that way, THIS.... this is different
i want this...

i wonder if i can get it in canada...

I haven't had some Tamarind in a while. YUM!

Dewrede said:

YOU NEED TO EAT THE FRUIT!


it has a taste unlike any other fruit i've enjoyed...

this.fruit.is.the.ISSSSHHH.




try it. seriously.


no, seriously.

sammij said:

http://www.candywarehouse...orico.html

http://www.amazon.com/Pel...B0000GJNZ2


!

really ?


i only had the paste and it's very sour


i can't imagine i'd like the fruit frankly

but i'll try if i see them
[Edited 3/20/08 13:13pm]

JessieJ said:

i can't stop eating them
i think i'll have to pick up a few cases before i go back to school on sunday

sammij said:

Oh lawd. Now I want some




Every Sunday during the summer months, I always go to the Frio-Frio stand and get a either a lime or tamarind snow cone. I want one

Get your ass in an Asian Market and buy the ones in the hard plastic boxes.
They're sweet, and spiced with a little bit of pepper


THey also make dired, spiced mango slices that are to DIE for



I swear to gawd, us Thai's can't keep a democracy going without a upheavel every 5 years, but we can make shit out food!

Get your ass in an Asian Market and buy the ones in the hard plastic boxes.
They're sweet, and spiced with a little bit of pepper


THey also make dired, spiced mango slices that are to DIE for



I swear to gawd, us Thai's can't keep a democracy going without a upheavel every 5 years, but we can make shit out food!