Tamarind
The fruits of the tamarind can be sweet or sour, depending on the variety. Legend says that sleeping under a tamarind tree while it flowers will give you strange dreams !
This page provides basic information on tamarind and some photos of the tamarind tree. It also has some quotes about tamarind and a tamarind recipe
Basic information on tamarind
| Scientific name | Tamarindus indica |
| English | Tamarind |
| Dutch | Tamarinde |
| Spanish | Tamarindo |
| French | Tamarinier Tamarin |
| German | Tamarindenbaum |
| Italian | Tamarindo |
| Family: | Fabaceae |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Origin: | Eastern Africa and Madagascar |
| Distribution: | Eastern Africa and tropical areas in Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean. |
| Evergreen or deciduous: | Evergeen in areas without a dry season. In dry areas during the hot season the leaves may be shed. |
| Flowers: | Clusters of flowers growing from one common stem |
| Leaves: | Fine feathery foliage. Tamarind leaves consist of 10-40 leaflets |
| Fruits: | The tamarind fruit is a brown pod-like legume. Inside the pod are many hard-coated seeds covered with a brown soft pulp, which is the edible part. |
| Climate and weather: | Tropical areas. Dry weather is important during the period of fruit development. |
| Pollination: | Probably by insects (?). |
| Height: | 20 meter (but can reach over 25 meter) |
| Crown size: | The crown can be up to 12 meter |
| Type of soil: | Tolerates almost any soil. |
| Growth rate: | Tamarind is a slow growing tree. |
| Spacing (close range) | 5 meter |
| Spacing (wide range) | 8 meter |
| Insect pests: | Various scales. Mealybugs. Fruit borers. |
| Diseases: | ? |
| Harvesting: | Harvesting by hand picking. |
| Uses: | The fruit pulp is edible. Pulp of young fruits is sour and acidic, but ripe fruits are sweeter. Some varieties are sweet, while others have always a sour taste. Young leaves can be used in salads. |
Tamarind photos
Proverbs
Who knows a proverb about tamarind?
Quotes about tamarind
- The summer dream beneath the tamarind tree. (Edgar Allan Poe)
- It was like a species of the Tamarind tree, bearing fruit which resembled grapes extremely fine; and its fragrance extended to a considerable distance. I exclaimed, How beautiful is this tree, and how delightful is its appearance! (Prophet Enoch about the tree of knowledge)
Did you know that?
- Legend says that those who sleep under the Tamarind while it flowers will experience strange hallucinogenic dreams !
Recipes
Tamarind Juice
Ingredients:
1) 20 grams fresh or dried tamarind
2) 30 grams syrup (or 2 tablespoons)
3) 2 grams salt (or 2/5 teaspoon)
4)240 ml water
Instructions how to make the juice
A) With fresh tamarind:
Remove the skin. Pour boiling water on the fresh tamarind then take it out. Remove the seeds. Boil the tamarind in 240 grams water, after sometime pour juice through a sieve. Adjust the taste by adding sugar and salt as you like.
B) With dried tamarind:
Clean the dried tamarind in clean water. Leave dried tamarind in 240 grams of water for half an hour then bring to boil. Pour juice through a sieve. Then add salt and sugar for the taste as you like.