Ode to the tamarind | Excerpt from Vasudha Rai’s ‘Sacred’

Sacred is a reminder of the symbiotic relationship people have with plants. And the ‘date of India’ is one of the 52 featured in the new book by Vasudha Rai

The tamarind tree is the subject of myth and folklore. Some consider it to be the abode of spirits, while for others, it is related to stories of the Ramayana. There are also stories about this tree and its association to Lord Shiva. In Indian mythology, all stories point to the fact that earlier, the tamarind tree used to have big, well-formed leaves.

It is believed that Lord Rama took shelter under a tamarind tree when he was banished from his kingdom and was in exile. Since the tree had large leaves, he felt like he wasn’t doing his penance correctly. So he asked his brother, Lakshmana, to shoot an arrow at the leaves fragmenting them into the small leaves they are today. In the other story relating to Shiva, it is suggested that the lord himself fragmented these leaves into smaller pieces as a demon was hiding behind its large leaves.

Shiva opened his third eye to kill this demon, and the leaves disintegrated into the smaller size as we see today. A tamarind tree has a lifespan of about 200 years, but there are some that can even go as far back as 400 years.

The tree is believed to have originated in India and the word ‘tamarind’ comes from the Persian phrase ‘tamar-i-hind’, which basically means the ‘date of India’. However, new evidence shows that the tree may have been initially cultivated in Egypt or Madagascar. Before the Spanish brought tomatoes to India, tamarind was used to add a sour taste to Indian dishes. Tamarind is worshipped to this day as a deity by people in rural India and tribal folk and is in fact a huge part of their medical protocol. Tamarind is also used in traditional medicine in western and eastern Africa. As a hardy, multi-purpose, drought-resistant tree, it is worthy of worship and a valuable addition to parks and gardens.

Tamarind is a huge part of India’s culinary heritage. It is used to add a tangy flavour to our chutneys and curries. It’s a nutritional powerhouse, rich in magnesium, B vitamins, calcium, phosphorus and potassium, as well as all essential amino acids, except tryptophan. The tamarind fruit contains tartaric acid, malic acid, potassium and the soluble fibre pectin, all of which contribute to digestive health and provide mild laxative benefits. The fruit also causes relaxation of smooth muscles, for instance, stomach, intestines, GI sphincters, gall bladder and blood vessels, some on which are also responsible for its laxative effect. But it’s not just the fruit but also the leaves of this wonderful tree that have immense benefits. They work as fodder for cattle and in humans the leaves show a liver-protective effect by stabilizing the membranes and decreasing glutathione consumption. The extract from the fruit also decreases fluoride in the plasma and inhibits fluoride-induced liver and kidney damage.

Fluoride is found in drinking water and has been linked to several health problems. The evergreen tree is extremely hardy and grows very well in desert-like areas that are prone to drought. In Africa, it is valuable for wildlife, as it provides shade to animals such as elephants, who can lean against its strong, wind-resistant trunks and branches that can hold the weight of this mighty animal. Locals in Ghana claim that to be safe from an elephant attack one can climb atop a tamarind tree. All in all, the tamarind tree is very beneficial because every part of this tree can be utilized for culinary, nutritional and medicinal benefits. Moreover, it is a hardy tree that has a long life and helps cool the environment in hot, desert-like areas.

Tamarind is best eaten with gur/jaggery, as it takes away the erosive nature of this sour fruit. People who have joint pains may find that their aches and pains get worse when they consume raw tamarind. However, when consumed with gur, it doesn’t have this effect, as the sweetness of the gur takes away the pungency of tamarind.