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Tamarind

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Organisms

                   iTamarind
           Scientific classification

   Kingdom:   Plantae
   Division:  Magnoliophyta
   Class:     Magnoliopsida
   Order:     Fabales
   Family:    Fabaceae
   Subfamily: Caesalpinioideae
   Tribe:     Detarieae
   Genus:     Tamarindus
   Species:   T. indica

                                Binomial name

   Tamarindus indica
   L.

   The Tamarind (Tamarindus indica) is the only species of the genus
   Tamarindus in the family Fabaceae. It is a tropical tree, native to
   eastern Africa, including parts of the Madagascar dry deciduous
   forests. It grows wild throughout the Sudan but has now been introduced
   into most of tropical Asia as well as Latin America and the Caribbean.
   A Tamarind seedling
   Enlarge
   A Tamarind seedling

   The tree can grow up to 20 m in height, and stays evergreen in regions
   without a dry season. Tamarind timber consists of hard, dark red
   heartwood and softer, yellowish sapwood. The leaves consist of 10-40
   leaflets. The flowers are produced in racemes. The fruit is a brown
   pod-like legume, which contains a soft pulp and many hard-coated seeds.
   The seeds can be scarified to enhance germination.

   Alternative names include Indian date, translation of Arabic تمر هندي
   tamr hindī. In Malaysia it is called asam in Malay and swee boey in
   Hokkien. In Indonesia it is called asem (or asam) Jawa (means Javanese
   asam) in Indonesian. In India it is called imli. In Bangla, the term is
   tẽtul. In Sinhala the name is siyambala, in Telugu it is called
   Chintachettu (tree) and Chintapandu (fruit extract) and in Tamil and
   Malayalam it is puli. In Kannada it is called hunase. In Malagasy it is
   called voamadilo. The tamarind is the provincial tree of the Phetchabun
   province of Thailand (in Thailand it is called Ma-kham).

Uses

   The fruit pulp is edible and popular. It is used as a spice in both
   Asian and Latin American cuisines, and is also an important ingredient
   in Worcestershire sauce and HP sauce. The pulp of a young fruit is very
   sour and acidic and is most often used as a component of savory dishes.
   The ripened fruit is sweeter and can be used in desserts and drinks, or
   as a snack.

   In temples especially in Asian countries, the pulp is used to clean
   brass shrine furniture, removing dulling and the greenish patina that
   form .

   The wood is a bold red colour. Due to its density and durability,
   tamarind heartwood can be used in making furniture and wood flooring. A
   tamarind switch is sometimes used as an implement for corporal
   punishment.

   Tamarind trees are very common in South India, particularly in Tamil
   Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. They are used as ornamental trees and to
   provide shade on the country roads and highways. Monkeys love the
   ripened tamarind fruit.

   The pulp, leaves, and bark also have medical applications. For example,
   in the Philippines, the leaves have been traditionally used in herbal
   tea for reducing malaria fever. Due to its medicinal value, tamarind is
   used as an Ayurvedic Medicine for gastric and/or digestion problems.

   Tamarind is a staple in the South Indian diet, where it is used to
   prepare Kuzambu or Sambhar (spicy lentil soup vegetables and tamarind),
   a soupy preparation called pulikkuzambu popular in Tamil Nadu,
   Puliyodarai rice, and various types of chutneys. Tamarind is available
   in Indian stores worldwide. It is also sold as a candy in Mexico (see
   for example pulparindo), and in various snack forms in Southeast Asia
   (dried and salted, dried and candied, as a cold drink). Pad Thai, a
   dish popular in Thai restaurants in the U.S., uses tamarind as its
   dominant flavor.

   It's very difficult to find tamarind sauce but it goes very well with
   lamb shanks.
   Native Philippine Tamarind
   Enlarge
   Native Philippine Tamarind

   In Latin America, especially Mexico, and Latin American immigrant
   communities in the US, the fruit is wildly popular and is fashioned
   into many kinds of treat. Many popular Tamarindo concoctions are hard
   candies and suckers and one of the most popular aguas frescas is
   flavored with tamarind. Tamarind is a popular food in Mexico and is
   used in many Mexican candies. Likewise Sino-Peruvian food uses
   tamarind-based juice for its distinctive sweet flavour. ^[ citations
   needed]

Metaphorical use

   In Mexican slang (especially in Mexico City), the term tamarind also
   refers to traffic control officers, due to the colour of their
   uniforms.
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