Tamar-ul-hind – That’s the Tamarind

Agua fresca, salsa, or  chili-dusted candies that crowd store shelves – that sweet-and-sour tang is etched into our memories. Tamarind is so present in our everyday lives that it feels native to Mexico — yet this curious legume is anything but.

Like many other culinary treasures, tamarind reached Mexico thanks to the Spanish.  The fruit is native to Africa, though its exact birthplace is debated. Some trace it to Madagascar before it spread to Southeast Asia and India, where it was known as amlika.  During the Muslim occupation of the Iberian Peninsula (711–1492), Andalusian Spaniards became acquainted with a wealth of Arab, African and Asian flavors including not only pepper, cardamom, and ginger, but also tamar-ul-hind, the “date of India.”

Tamarind’s flavor profile was the perfect foil to the existing tastes of Mesoamerican cuisine: the fresh herbaceousness of maize and beans, the heat of chile, the sweetness of squash, and the acidity of tomato all gained new depth when combined with tamarind’s sharp tang.  And Mexico’s climate proved ideal for cultivating the tree. It adapted so quickly and was embraced so wholeheartedly that many people today assume tamarind is native to Mexico.

As we’ve seen with countless other ingredients, food in Mexican culture carries a medicinal dimension. Tamarind wasn’t just delicious. It was believed to reduce fever, soothe digestive problems and work as a natural laxative. Tamarind is rich in vitamins A, B3 and C, along with minerals such as magnesium, calcium, potassium, phosphorus and iron. Thanks to its fiber content, it aids digestion. Modern science confirms what tradition long suspected: tamarind has laxative, diuretic, astringent, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

Tamarind’s uses go far beyond agua fresca and candies. It’s also an ingredient in salsas, adobos, moles, jams and desserts.

No matter what you plan to make, start by removing the brittle outer shell and the fibrous veins. Soak the pulp in warm water for 30 to 60 minutes, then remove the seeds.

From there, you can prepare a paste or preserve to make your own less-sugary tamarind candies. Personally, though, my favorite way to showcase tamarind’s complexity is in a marinade, which is perfect for meat, chicken, fish, tofu or mushrooms.

Tamarind Marinade (Serves 4–6)

200 g tamarind pulp

Preparation