Tamarind - what is it? Useful properties of tamarind

Among the variety of different gifts of nature stands out an unusual and exotic tamarind. What it is? How to cook? With what to eat? The article will tell about all this!

A little botany

So, the mysterious tamarind ... What is it? This is a fruit of the legume family, which is also called the Indian date. Tamarind grows in countries with a hot climate and is found both in Australia and in South America. For export, Indian dates are grown in Tanzania, Oman, Cameroon, Sudan and Nigeria.

What does a tamarind look like? What is this in terms of botany? In Latin it sounds like Tamarindus indica. This evergreen, quite a large tree, which sometimes reaches 30 meters in height, with a trunk diameter of up to 9 meters! Its sprawling crown during the flowering period, which lasts from October to February, is full of a lot of pinkish-white flowers. At this time tamarind something reminds us of acacia familiar to us. Subsequently, the flowers turn into large velvety to the touch pods. They are brown and quite long - about 15 centimeters. It is inside each pod, in a white shell (pulp), there is an Indian date - a soft brown sweet and sour fruit with a bone inside.

A storehouse of vitamins

Now that the reader knows what the tamarind looks like, what it is and where it grows, we will tell you about its valuable properties. This overseas fruit is unusually useful and rich in vitamins, macronutrients. In 100 grams of tamarind contains 239 kilocalories, 2.8 g protein, 0.6 g fat and 57.4 g carbohydrates.

Tamarind, whose useful properties are invaluable due to the rich content of chemical compounds, Vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B6, B9, C, E, K, PP, and beta-carotene are in the composition. From the macroelements in this fruit there are calcium, selenium, magnesium, copper, sodium, zinc, potassium, iron and phosphorus. He's such a tamarind! Useful properties of it are comparable to those that have pharmacy multivitamin complexes.

And fruit and spice

The fruits of tamarind are widely used in the preparation of national dishes in India and Mexico, while green Indian dates are collected for addition to dishes that require bitterness, such as spicy soup of lentils and vegetables and rice-based dishes. The pulp of green tamarind is very acidic, so it is ideal for making different sauces and pastes, which are perfectly combined with fried meat: lamb, veal and chicken.

Ripe fruit has a pleasant sweet taste and is used mainly in sweets and desserts, as well as in dishes that need a piquant note. In Mexico, tamarinds make sweets, jams and syrups.

Separately, it is worth noting that tamarind pulp turning into powder is used in the kitchens of the whole world in the form of original spice, which imparts an indescribable taste to individual dishes.

In European cuisines, the Indian date is not so popular and is a kind of exotic. However, there is an indispensable product, without which it is impossible to imagine some branded restaurant dishes - this is a Worcester sauce, which is also called Indian. The basis of the miracle sauce - of course, tamarind!

Exotic medicine

What else useful contains a tamarind? The properties of this fruit are often used in medicine, especially in those countries where Indian dates are available as widely as we have tomatoes and apples. Fruits have found application in Ayurvedic medicine for the treatment of various disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. Mousse from fruit pulp has a delicate laxative effect.

Brewed tamarind (tea or bark infusion) helps in the treatment of fever and bronchial asthma. In addition, the broth improves appetite, lowers cholesterol, increases immunity and normalizes blood pressure. In addition, healing tea from tamarind is washed with eyes with various conjunctivitis, and also gargles with angina. Another piquant property of Indian dates is manifested in the fact that he is considered an aphrodisiac for women.

Home first aid kit

How to prepare a medicine from a tamarind fruit? Recipes are simple!

For mousse, which has a mild laxative effect, you need to pour the flesh of Indian dates with boiling water, boil and wipe through a strainer. You can use a blender. In the end, you should get a thick juice, in which you can add a little sugar or honey. Take this medicine with caution, so as not to cause diarrhea.

Tea from tamarind is also very simple to prepare - just pour a few fruits with boiling water and let it brew for 5-10 minutes.

Beauty component

Tamarind is not only a delicious fruit and exotic spice! The oil of this fruit is widely used in expensive spa procedures. The high content of nutrients in young leaves of the tree contributes to the fact that they perfectly moisturize the epidermis, and also successfully fight inflammatory processes. Masks made of tamarind are suitable for oily skin.

Little tricks

Tamarind in its fresh form can be bought by traveling to Thailand, India and other countries with a tropical climate. In other countries, exotic fruit is sold in pressed, dried or dried form. Sometimes it can be seen in the composition of concentrated juice, sauce or pasta.

Tamarind at home can be used in any form: fresh fruits simply to eat, from sun-dried - to make unsurpassed dessert, dried - to apply as a basis for exotic sauce.

Did you manage to buy a tamarind? Recipes posted in this article will help to prepare it according to all the rules.

Appetizing chicken in tamarind sauce

To prepare this delicious and spicy food you will need the following ingredients:

• Chicken fillet - 600 grams.
• Soy sauce (no additives) - 4 tbsp. Spoons.
• Garlic - 5 teeth.
• Onions - 2 heads.
• Ground cumin - ½ teaspoon.
• Chicken broth - 2 cups.
• Puree or tamarind sauce - 2 tbsp. Spoons.
• Cornstarch - 1 teaspoon.
• Water - 1 tbsp. a spoon.
• Salt - to taste.
• Black pepper - to taste.
• Chili powder ground to taste.

The fillet should be cut into small cubes, folded into a bowl, add soy sauce, crushed garlic, finely chopped onions, salt and black pepper. Stir thoroughly, cover with a lid and leave to marinate for 50-60 minutes.

After this time, put the frying pan on the fire and heat it with vegetable oil. Then, on a high fire, brown the browned meat to brown crust.

After this, add chicken broth and tamarind sauce to the pan, reduce heat and simmer for about 40-60 minutes, until the meat is ready. The liquid in the frying pan in the meantime should decrease slightly more than half.

Next, dilute the starch with cold water, stir until homogeneous and pour into the meat. Stew, stirring gently, until the sauce thickens.

Japanese spicy sauce

It will be an ideal addition to hot dishes, especially meat and pancakes with meat or fish filling. For cooking, you will need:

• Pasta tamarinda - 3 tsp.
• Tomato ketchup - 2 tbsp. Spoons.
• Vinegar - 1.5 tbsp. Spoons.
• Salt is a large pinch.
• Soy sauce (no additives) - 2 tbsp. Spoons.
• Sugar - 4 tbsp. Spoons.

In a small saucepan, you need to heat the vinegar, soy sauce and sugar and boil until the sugar completely dissolves. Then add the remaining ingredients, mix thoroughly and leave to cool.

How to replace

How can I replace a tamarind if I do not get it for a number of reasons? An analogue of a sauce or pasta from this fruit can be a mango powder, lemon juice or a Worcestershire sauce.