Tamarind

2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29

Tamarind / Tamarindus Indica / is a tropical evergreen tree or shrub that reaches a height of 12-18 meters. Its name comes from Arabic and means "Indian date".

The tamarind It originates from North Africa and Asia, but is most common in India, where it has long been used as a food and spice.

The flowers of tamarind are yellow, with red lines. It has a pod about 12 cm long, containing small seeds with a sweet-sour inside, which after drying becomes quite acidic. The skin of the fruit is dark brown and its shape is like a gondola, irregular and wrinkled.

Tamarind blooms in bunches on the tree, and the harvest in Thailand is harvested from October to February.

The wood of the tree is very strong and durable, which is why it is used for the production of furniture. An interesting fact is that even for the spikes there is an application - after a child is born, the locals drive them into the cracks in the walls to protect the mother and newborn from evil spirits.

Composition of tamarind

100 g tamarind contain 245 kcal, 36 carbohydrates, 7 g of fat, vitamin A, organic acids.

Selection and storage of tamarind

When you buy tamarind, you should choose fruits that are firm to the touch, with flat and smooth skin, are not wrinkled and have not lost their color.

The tamarind fruit can be cut lengthwise with a knife. Remove the fruit flesh and separate the seeds. Store tamarind in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

Cooking tamarind

There are two main types of tamarind in Thailand - sweet, which serves as a great base for desserts, and green, which is eaten with sweet sauce and hot pepper.

Thais eat the slightly bitter leaves of tamarind, adding them to salads or hot soups. Tamarind flowers can also be consumed - fresh or cooked. The flowers are also bitter, but are ideal for making spicy soups or chili sauces.

Young tamarind fruits can be served with salt, sugar or dried pepper. Sweet things or concentrated juice are prepared from the ripe fruits.

In Western cuisine, tamarind is one of the ingredients in many famous sauces. The fruits can be added to cakes, ice cream, pastries, candies. Tamarind can be used to soften the taste of sweet and spicy dishes. It can be dried, used to flavor soups and desserts, mashed.

The seeds of tamarind are very rich in protein, can be baked, soaked in water or boiled - it is an excellent substitute for coffee.

In India, tamarind is added to traditional lentil soup, various vegetable soups and several types of lutenitsa. The combination of tamarind, sugar and spices are added to dishes that should acquire a sweet-bitter taste.

The tamarind can be added as a side dish to rice and bean dishes. It is used in curry dishes, in the popular Italian mascarpone cream.

Benefits of tamarind

Tamarin is extremely good for health due to its high content of vitamin A and organic acids. Tea is made from the bark of the tree, which lowers blood pressure. Laxatives are obtained from the fruits, and the roasted seeds of the fruit are used to treat diseases of the stomach.

Tamarind has a very good antibacterial effect, relieves the symptoms of cough and fever. Helps with asthma, urinary tract disorders and arthritis.

Reduces the levels of bad cholesterol in the blood. Due to its beneficial effect on digestion, tamarind is great for inclusion in weight loss regimens.