Tamarind- Fruit, vegetable or hotel?

The tamarind is a native tree to many parts of tropical Africa and Asia. The tree prefers hot, humid environment and soil that is damp but well drained. The tamarind tree was introduced to North America but has never thrived because of its poor tolerance to cold weather. The slow evergreen tree can grow quite tall but recent cultivars only grow to heights of 10-20 feet. The flowers of the tamarind are inconspicuous but it is the edible fruit which has made the tree famous. Tamarind fruit has been widely used in Indian and Asian cuisine for decades. The 3-7 inch curved shaped pods are fleshy and do contain large black seeds. Depending on where the tree is grown, the fruit size, texture and even the taste of tamarind is different. Most tamarind fruit in Africa is sour, bitter, and salty but the Asian variety can be sweet.

Today, tamarind fruit has been hyped up to be a panacea for many health problems. Countless anecdotes exist about the healing powers of tamarind and some people in Asia swear by its magical curing ability. Most cultures in Asia used the pulp or leaves of the tamarind to treat malaria, constipation and prevent stomach acidity. The juice is also extracted and applied as a compress to sooth arthritic pain. However, most of these health reports are bunk and not supported by any scientific data.

Tamarind fruit is heavily commercialized and is used to add flavor to desserts, syrups, and juices or consumed as a laxative. Many Indian foods have tamarind added to spice up the food. In Mexico, tamarind is available both a dried candy and also as an icy fruit bar.

Probably the best variety of tamarind is from Thailand. The tamarind from Thailand is small, but naturally sweet, juicy and extremely delicious. There are many hotels and small cafes named “tamarind” all over north America- where you can rest assured the food will be spicy and exotic.