Ingredients
Tamarind
Other Names: Asam koh (China), cay me (Vietnam), Indian date (Britain), tamar hindi (Middle East).
General Description: Tamarind (Tamarindus indica) is a hard brown fruit pod filled with hard seeds surrounded by tangy edible pulp. Tamarind is the fruit pod of a large and beautiful evergreen tree native to tropical Africa. Tamarinds had already spread to India by prehistoric times, have long been established in Southeast Asia, and now grow throughout tropical and subtropical regions. The pods grow in clusters that hang on the tree long after they are mature and contain up to 10 dark brown seeds surrounded by dark brown pulp that tastes acidic and slightly woody, with prune and orange overtones.
Its name comes from the Arabic tamar hindi, which means “Indian date.” Its dark brown pulp reminded the nomadic Arabs, who imported tamarind from India since ancient times, of the familiar date. Tamarind is used in the Middle East, India, Indonesia, the Caribbean, and Latin America in much the same way vinegars and lemon juice are in European cuisine. It is a basic flavoring for chutneys and is made into cooling drinks. The citric, sweet-sour flavor of tamarind goes well with chiles, and it is widely used in Mexico and in India with hot foods.
Season: Fresh tamarind pods are in season in spring and early summer and may be found in Asian, Indian, and Caribbean markets and well-stocked supermarkets.
Purchase: Select clean, relatively unbroken pods.
Avoid: Do not buy old, dried-out tamarind.
Storage: Store the pods for up to 3 weeks in the refrigerator.
Preparation:
- Cut open the pod and remove the flesh.
- Separate the tamarind flesh from the seeds by scraping with a knife or by rubbing the seeds against a bowl with a wooden spoon.
Serving Suggestions: Combine boiling water with tamarind pulp, add sugar or honey to taste, and cool, covered, then strain, dilute with water, and serve over ice. Soak pitted dates and tamarind pulp in cold water to cover, then blend with the soaking liquid, strain through a sieve, stir in salt, ground coriander seed, and brown sugar to taste to make a date-tamarind chutney. Squeeze lime juice over fresh peeled tamarind pods and then dip in a mixture of sugar, ground chile, and salt and eat raw.
Flavor Affinities: Almonds, banana, chicken, chile peppers, cinnamon, coconut, coriander, cumin, curry, duck, eggplant, ginger, mango, pork ribs, potatoes, scallops, shrimp, star anise.
from Quirk Books: www.quirkbooks.com
