Tamarind (Me)

The tamarind is a graceful stately tree commonly found in the Mekong delta and growing wild along South of Vietnam roadsides. The fruit hang in clusters peapod like legumes typically six to eight inches long. The fruit is eaten fresh, in candies, and in sauces.

The tamarind is a graceful stately tree commonly found in the Mekong delta and growing wild along South of Vietnam roadsides. The fruit hang in clusters peapod like legumes typically six to   eight inches long. The fruit is eaten fresh, in candies, and in sauces. In fact, it is one of the primary ingredients of soup (canh), as well as numerous other jerk and barbeque sauces



The pulp from the tamarind pod is used as a souring agent in Latin America, India, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. To extract the pulp, shell the pods, put them in a saucepan, then add enough water to completely cover the pulp. Simmer for about half an hour, then strain out and discard the seeds. It's a nuisance to do this, so many cooks simply buy the extracted pulp in bricks, jars, cans, powders, or bottles. There's also a sweet tamarind, which looks like the sour variety and is used primarily to make drinks .