Tamarind Fruit in Food and Medicine
Indian Date Used for Flavor, Digestive Remedy, and to Relieve Pain
Jan 21, 2009
In the Western world, tamarind is known for its distinctive flavor in pad Thai dishes and in Indian tamarind chutney, but little is known about the fruit itself. Tamarind is a plant used the world over for its strong, unique flavor in food, drinks, and candy as well as for its purported medicinal properties - to soothe the digestive system, ease fevers and lessen inflammation and pain.
What is a Tamarind?
The tamarind, Tamarindus indica, is a tall, long-lived tree with many small, feathery leaves ("pinnate" leaves). The fruit grows in hard, dangling pods which contain both the edible pulp and one or usually several squarish seeds.
Although tamarind originated in Africa, growing wild in Sudan, it became so common in India that some reports claim it originated there. The name "tamarind" comes from the Persian and Arab name for the fruit, "tamar hindi" - Indian date – which it was called for the date-like texture of the sweet pulp.
The tamarind fruit is revered by certain African tribes, and is the subject of superstition in many parts of the world. The fruit was used by the ancient Egyptians and Greeks as far back as 400 B.C.
Today, tamarind can be found growing in the East Indies, the Pacific Islands, the Southern United States, Mexico, and throughout South America.
Tamarind in World Cuisine
Western shoppers will most often find tamarind as a preserved paste, or pre-mixed in bottled sauces with sugar, salt, or other spices and flavors, and might never suspect that the paste begins as part of a long, bean-like pod.
Within the pod's hard shell are several large seeds and the sweet, acidic, flavorful pulp.
Tamarind is used worldwide in food, candy, and beverages:
- India – the sour, unripe tamarind pods are cooked with meat, fish, or rice as seasoning
- Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Cuba, India – candy is made by mixing tamarind pulp with sugar and rolling it into balls or patties
- Bahamas – unripe tamarinds are roasted in coals until they burst open; the pulp is eaten hot
- Bahamas – "tamarind ade" is made by combining tamarind paste with water, sugar, and sometimes spices such as cloves
- Brazil, Puerto Rico – tamarind is mixed with sugar, then strained and bottled to make a syrup
- Costa Rica – tamarind jam
- Thailand – the seeds are sold as a coffee replacement
In addition, the tamarind tree is often used as a decorative plant.
Medicinal Uses of the Tamarind
The most common medicinal uses of tamarind – and the ingredients for which it has been used in the pharmaceutical industry – are for digestive symptoms and to lower body temperature during a fever. Tamarind pulp is known for its use as a laxative, and to relieve indigestion and gas.
Tamarind pulp is high in calcium, phosphorus, potassium, iron, thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin.
In traditional Asian medicines, tamarind is used to treat inflammation, arthritis pain, sore throats, sunstroke, certain kinds of poisoning, and drunkenness.
Source
Morton, Julia F.: Fruits of Warm Climates, 1987. Excerpt published online at Purdue University's Centre for New Crops and Plant Products horticulture website. Accessed January 21, 2009.
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