Tamarind, Tamarindus Indica — Spices of Kerala

March 24th, 2007 | admin

Tamar is an Arabian word which means date and tamarind literally means date of India. Reference of this plant in pea family to date is quite fascinating as one will find precious little connections between the two.

Though imported to India from Africa a long time ago, tamarind is an important spice in homes across south India, especially Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

Tamarind is a tree in leguminosae family that grows more than 20 meters in height and with a thick network of strong branches. The fruit appears as 10-15 cm long pods. Inside the outer shell like skin is a brownish, acidic, soft pulp which bears five to 15 seeds. Tartaric acid gives the sour taste to the pulp.

The pulp forms major ingredient for fish preparations, curries, and dishes. It also forms part of different beverages.

The pulp also has cleaning properties. Apply the pulp as paste over any hard surface like metals. Wipe it off after half an hour and you can see the surface sparkling.