I first fell in love with the tamarind  in its glorious candied form.  I remember there was an elderly lady in my village, who was beloved for her delightful tamarind balls. Her tamarind balls were made with tamarind pulp (seeds attached!), sugar, a hint of ginger and other spices. We children would break the balls apart and suck on the pieces. We especially liked the pieces which had a seed or two in them. We'd suck at the piece until there was nothing but seed left to discard. There was also the tamarind syrup or stew sold by school vendors, which was a bit hit with school children. And our love had nothing to do with the nutritional content of the fruit.

It was years of these tangy-sweet things which left me unprepared for my first taste of the actual raw tamarind fruit, fresh out of its pod. The fruit can be eaten green or ripe and is rather sour. The juice or paste from the ripe pulp is very popular in all those dishes begging to be soured- curries, chutneys and the like. There's also the delicious tamarind jams and jellies. In addition, a variety of tamarind known as the sweet tamarind has become very popular.

 The tamarind tree, not to be confused with the wild tamarind, is reportedly a native of Africa, but has long been hailed as being native to India. Throughout the years, while we children were enjoying our balls and syrup, adults around us were looking towards the tamarind (leaves, fruit and bark) to bring them relief from various ailments.

Grown-ups could be found bent over pots of tamarind leaves/ bark tending to a decoction they were sure would reduce someone's fever. A decoction of  tamarind leaves was also used regularly to ‘purify the blood’ and as a treatment for those living with diabetes. And, it was this very decoction or tea which got children all suspicious and not very anxious to stay indoors. For, grown-ups were also prone to handing it out as a remedy for getting rid of worms in any child who exhibited symptoms of being ‘infested’.

Decoction/tea aside, tamarind leaves were also crushed, sometimes with a bit of water, to create a poultice.  This poultice was considered very effective for treating arthritis and reducing swelling in joints and was also used to treat a variety of skin disorders.

And now we get to the juice.  Tamarind juice, made by boiling the pulp of the fruit (seed and all) along with certain spices is a very popular drink here in the Caribbean.  Many praise it for its ability to provide a much needed ‘cool down’ in the hot climate of the islands.  I’m also familiar with the juice being used to battle indigestion and constipation. And I’ve heard of people gargling with warm tamarind juice (no sugar added, of course) to barter for relief from a sore throat.

The fruit itself?  Many children can attest to a tamarind pod being shoved into their hands and a command issued to “suck on that”.  This normally happened when a child wasn’t “eating well”- the pulp of the fruit is considered to be an effective “appetite opener” for children and adults suffer from a loss of appetite.  Another thing the pulp was also considered good for?  Replacing over-the-counter laxatives.

Disclaimer:

The contents of this page are meant for educational and entertainment purposes only. Statements published here ought not to be taken as expert medical advice designed to treat/cure any diseases or health related conditions. Please talk to your doctor or any qualified healthcare professional if you need medical advice (Believe me, WE at RE:BELLE WOULD!)