Tamarind

Tamarind
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Fabales
Family:	Fabaceae
Subfamily:	Detarioideae
Tribe:	Amherstieae
Genus:	Tamarindus L.
Species:	T. indica
Binomial name
Tamarindus indica L. 1753
Synonyms[3][4][5]
Cavaraea Speg. 1916 Cavaraea elegans Speg. 1916[2] Tamarindus erythraeus Mattei 1908 Tamarindus occidentalis Gaertn. 1791 Tamarindus officinalis Hook. 1851 Tamarindus somalensis Matteqi 1908 Tamarindus umbrosa Salisb. 1796

Tamarind (Tamarindus indica) is a

Tamarind pollen grains

The tamarind flowers bloom (although inconspicuously), with red and yellow elongated flowers. Flowers are 2.5 cm (1 in) wide, five-petalled, borne in small racemes, and yellow with orange or red streaks. Buds are pink as the four sepals are pink and are lost when the flower blooms.^[11]

• 
  A tamarind seedling
• 
  Tamarind flower
• 
  Tamarind flowers
• 
  Tamarindus leaves and fruit pod
• 
  Tamarind tree on the site of the founding of Santa Clara, Cuba

Fruit

The fruit is an indehiscent legume, sometimes called a pod, 12 to 15 cm (4+1⁄2 to 6 in) in length, with a hard, brown shell.^[12][13][14]

The fruit has a fleshy, juicy, acidic pulp. It is mature when the flesh is coloured brown or reddish brown. The tamarinds of Asia have longer pods (containing six to 12 seeds), whereas African and West Indian varieties have shorter pods (containing one to six seeds). The seeds are somewhat flattened, and a glossy brown. The fruit is sweet and sour in taste.

History

Etymology

The name derives from

In the 16th century, it was introduced to Mexico and Central America, and to a lesser degree to South America, by Spanish and Portuguese colonists, to the degree that it became a staple ingredient in the region's cuisine.[22]

As of 2006^[update] India is the largest producer of tamarind.^[23] The consumption of tamarind is widespread due to its central role in the cuisines of the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, and the Americas, especially Mexico.^{[citation needed]}

Uses

Tamarinds, raw

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy	1,000 kJ (240 kcal)
Carbohydrates	62.5 g
Sugars	57.4
Dietary fiber	5.1 g
Fat	0.6 g
Saturated	0.272 g
Monounsaturated	0.181 g
Polyunsaturated	0.059 g
Protein	2.8 g
Tryptophan	0.018 g
Lysine	0.139 g
Methionine	0.014 g
Niacin (B3)	12% 1.938 mg
Pantothenic acid (B5)	3% 0.143 mg
Vitamin B6	4% 0.066 mg
Folate (B9)	4% 14 μg
Choline	2% 8.6 mg
Vitamin C	4% 3.5 mg
Vitamin E	1% 0.1 mg
Vitamin K	2% 2.8 μg
Copper	96% 0.86 mg
Iron	16% 2.8 mg
Magnesium	22% 92 mg
Phosphorus	9% 113 mg
Potassium	21% 628 mg
Selenium	2% 1.3 μg
Sodium	1% 28 mg
Zinc	1% 0.1 mg
Other constituents	Quantity
Water	31.40 g
USDA Database; entry
†Percentages estimated using US recommendations for adults,[24] except for potassium, which is estimated based on expert recommendation from the National Academies.[25]

Culinary

The fruit is harvested by pulling the pod from its stalk. A mature tree can produce up to 175 kilograms (386 pounds) of fruit per year.

The fruit pulp is edible. The hard green pulp of a young fruit is considered by many to be too sour, but is often used as a component of savory dishes, as a pickling agent or as a means of making certain poisonous yams in Ghana safe for human consumption.^[26] As the fruit matures it becomes sweeter and less sour (acidic) and the ripened fruit is considered more palatable. The sourness varies between cultivars and some sweet tamarind ones have almost no acidity when ripe. In Western cuisine, tamarind pulp is found in Worcestershire sauce^[27] HP Sauce, and some brands of Barbecue Sauce^[28][29] (especially in Australia, with the tamarind derived from Worcestershire sauce^[30]).

Tamarind paste has many culinary uses including as a flavoring for

Across the Middle East, from the Levant to Iran, tamarind is used in savory dishes, notably meat-based stews, and often combined with dried fruits to achieve a sweet-sour tang.^[33][34]

In the Philippines, the whole fruit is used as one of the souring agents of the sour soup

In Mexico and the Caribbean, the pulp is diluted with water and sugared to make an agua fresca drink. It is widely used throughout all of Mexico for candy making, including tamarind mixed with chilli powder candy.

In Sokoto, Nigeria, tamarind pulp is used to fix the color in dyed leather products by neutralizing the alkali substances used in tanning.^[37]

The leaves and bark are also edible, and the seeds can be cooked to make safe for consumption.^[38] Blanched, tender tamarind leaves are used in a Burmese salad called magyi ywet thoke (မန်ကျည်းရွက်သုပ်; lit. 'tamarind leaf salad'), a salad from Upper Myanmar that features tender blanched tamarind leaves, garlic, onions, roasted peanuts, and pounded dried shrimp.^[39][40]

Seed oil and kernel powder

Tamarind seed oil is made from the kernel of tamarind seeds.^[41] The kernel is difficult to isolate from its thin but tough shell (or testa). It has a similar consistency to linseed oil, and can be used to make paint or varnish.^[42]

Tamarind kernel powder is used as sizing material for textile and jute processing, and in the manufacture of industrial gums and adhesives. It is de-oiled to stabilize its colour and odor on storage.^{[citation needed]}

Folk medicine

Throughout Southeast Asia, the fruit of the tamarind is used as a poultice applied to the foreheads of people with fevers.^[12] The fruit exhibits laxative effects due to its high quantities of malic acid, tartaric acid, and potassium bitartrate. Its use for the relief of constipation has been documented throughout the world.^[43][44] Extract of steamed and sun-dried old tamarind pulp in Java (asem kawa) are used to treat skin problems like rashes and irritation; it can also be ingested after dilution as an abortifacient.^[16]

Woodworking

Tamarind wood is used to make furniture, boats (as per

In hens, tamarind has been found to lower cholesterol in their serum, and in the yolks of the eggs they laid.[47]^[48]

In dogs, the tartaric acid of tamarind causes acute kidney injury, which can often be fatal.^[49]

Seeds can be scarified or briefly boiled to enhance germination. They retain their germination capability for several months if kept dry.^{[citation needed]}

The tamarind has long been naturalized in Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, the Caribbean, and Pacific Islands. Thailand has the largest plantations of the ASEAN nations, followed by Indonesia, Myanmar, and the Philippines. In parts of Southeast Asia, tamarind is called asam.^[52] It is cultivated all over India, especially in Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. Extensive tamarind orchards in India produce 250,000 tonnes (280,000 short tons) annually.^[9]

In the United States, it is a large-scale crop introduced for commercial use (second in net production quantity only to India), mainly in southern states, notably south Florida, and as a shade tree, along roadsides, in dooryards and in parks.^[53]

A traditional food plant in Africa, tamarind has the potential to improve nutrition, boost food security, foster rural development and support sustainable landcare.^[54] In Madagascar, its fruit and leaves are a well-known favorite of the ring-tailed lemur, providing as much as 50 percent of their food resources during the year if available.^[55]

Horticulture

Throughout South Asia and the tropical world, tamarind trees are used as ornamental, garden, and cash crop plantings. Commonly used as a bonsai species in many Asian countries, it is also grown as an indoor bonsai in temperate parts of the world.^[56]

References