History of Tamarind

Botanically name Tamarindus Indica.

The tamarind does not appear to have been known to the ancient Greeks; at least no mention is made of it in their writings.

However, Avicenna was one of the writers who first prescribe the tamarind.

The tamarind is believed to be native of tropical Africa and perhaps southern Asia, where it has long been popular. It is also found in Arabia and Egypt as well as West India islands.

In the West Indies islands, where it has become naturalized, it is cultivated for the sake both of its shade and its acid, cooling, highly grateful fruit.

This large evergreen tamarind tree spread to India in prehistoric times and now grows in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. It was known as Indian tamarind, tamarindo and rilytree.

It was Arabs who first brought tamarind across the Persian Gulf from India, influencing the cooking of the Gulf region area and Egypt.

It also Arabs who introduced the tree to Asia and with its pleasant acidic tasting fruit, it was enthusiastically adopted, especially on the subcontinent.

Tamarinds are mentioned by the Arabian writers who ascribe to them anti-bilious virtues but dwell particularly on their usefulness in correcting nausea, quenching thirst and allaying febrile excitement.

In Africa , the leaves have been used for fevers, as a laxative and for wounds.

It was early introduced into tropical America and from there was probably brought to Hawaii.
History of Tamarind

Tamarind

The fruit is a pod containing a sticky pulp which tastes both sweet and sour and contains the richest natural source of tartaric acid (8-10%) of any fruit. The seed are dark brown and shiny.

Calcium and phosphorus content are unusually high; the value of 0.113 percent of calcium is the highest reported in the literature.

Tamarinds are an excellent source of vitamin B but they have little or no vitamins A and C, Preliminary tests indicate that they are probably a good source of vitamin G.

Ripe tamarind fruit has a widely recognized and proven medicinal value. American pharmaceutical industry processes more than 100 t of tamarind pulp annually.

The whole plant has medicinal value virtues. It leaves are cooling and antibilious, while the bark is an astringent, a tonic and reduces fever. The fruit pulp is digestive, antiflatulant cooling, laxative and antiseptic.

The tamarind pulp needs to be soaked in water, and then strained to extract the dark brown juice. The concentrated paste can be diluted with hot water or added directly to a dish, often balanced by sugar or honey to give a sweet-sour flavor.

A teaspoon of the concentrated paste, sweetened with sugar and diluted with boiling water is sometimes served as a drink.
Tamarind