A tamarind tree
(Tamarindus indica) is a common sight in the Indian countryside.
Interestingly,
this tree is native to Madagascar, but has been growing in the Indian
subcontinent so long that it is considered indigenous to India. Indeed, the
very name 'tamarind' is derived from the Persian tamar-i-Hind, meaning 'date of
India' (as it was erroneously believed to be the fruit of an Indian palm). It
is a highly versatile tree, all of whose parts find use in the food, chemical,
and pharmaceutical industries, and as fodder, timber and fuel.
Tamarind is today grown in 54 countries of the
world including India, Thailand, Myanmar, Bangladesh and African,
Central American and South American countries. India is the world's largest
producer of tamarind products.
The tree is a
large, handsome evergreen with a spreading crown. The leaves are compound
leaves, consisting of 10 to 20 pairs of leaflets, about 1 cm long. The flowers,
which cluster in small bunches around the leaves, are pale yellow with red
veins. Each pod contains 3 to 12 seeds enveloped in a leathery parchment-like
membrane. The pulp is brownish, traversed by numerous branched strands.
Initially the pods are soft-skinned with sour green flesh and whitish seeds. On
maturity, the skin turns into a brittle shell and the pulp becomes a
reddish-brown sticky paste enclosed by a few coarse strands of fibre.
Tamarind fruit,
leaves, flowers, seeds and bark find extensive use in traditional Ayurvedic
medicine. Chakradatta, an 11th century Indian physician, in his treatise
Chikitsasangraha recommends a paste of tamarind pulp mixed with dates, raisins
and pomegranate seeds as a remedy for the effects of intoxication from Datura
and spurious liquors.
Tamarind made
into sherbet with milk is given as a laxative to children suffering from fever.
Tamarind water is gargled to heal mouth ulcers and sore throats. The boiled
seeds are made into a poultice and applied to boils. A poultice of the flowers
is applied to treat inflamed eyes. Juice extracted from the flowers is consumed
as a remedy for bleeding piles. Tamarind pulp, alone or combined with lemon
juice, milk, honey, dates or spices, is used in various remedies to aid
digestion.
Tamarind is
also prized for its many culinary uses. Throughout India, the pulp is used as a
souring agent in a variety of dishes such as curries, sauces, lentil dishes
like sambar, chutneys, and certain beverages. In Thailand, Sri Lanka, and the
Philippines, the pulp is cleaned, mixed with sugar and made into toffees. In
Ghana, the pulp is fermented, mixed with spices, and brewed into a drink known
as 'Poha beer'. The drink is rich in carbohydrates, proteins and vitamin C and
is used by Muslims to break their day-long fast during the month of Ramadan.
Research suggests that its high vitamin C content could promote iron absorption
and thus helps to counter iron-deficiency anemia.
