- Tamarind, the very mention of which’s name makes our mouth watery is a fruit pod produced by a tall semi-evergreen tropical tree, having its origin in Eastern Africa and now extensively found also in India.
- Tamarinds are slow-growing, long-lived, evergreen trees which have 3 - 8 inch long, brown, irregularly curved pods in abundance along the new branches.
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- As the pods mature, they fill out somewhat and the juicy, acidulous pulp turns brown or reddish-brown.
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- When fully ripe, the shells are brittle and easily broken.
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- The pulp dehydrates to a sticky paste enclosed by a few coarse stands of fiber .
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- The pods contains flat, glossy brown, obovate seeds embedded in the brown, edible pulp.
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- When fully ripe, the shells are brittle and easily broken.
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- The pulp dehydrates to a sticky paste enclosed by a few coarse stands of fiber.
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- The pods contains from large, flat, glossy brown, obovate seeds embedded in the brown, edible pulp.
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- The pulp has a pleasing sweet/sour flavor and is high in both acid and sugar.
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- Tamarind is generally used in India as paste or pulp in addition to its being a main constituent in our daily food preparations. India holds the credit of chief producer of this crop.
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- This extremely sour fruit is available in whole pods, compressed blocks, paste or concentrate.
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- It is used as a base for spicy and sometimes sweet sauces.
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- It is often the main ingredient in juices, soups, chatnis and bean dishes.
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- The harvesting season for Tamarind is form January to April and its major producing Centers in India are Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu.
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