Tamarind - what is it? The beneficial properties of tamarind

Among the variety of different gifts of nature stands out unusual and exotic tamarind. What is it? How to cook? What to eat? All this talk article!

Botany

So the mystery tamarind… What is it? It is a fruit of the legume family, which is also called tamarind. Tamarind grows in hot climates and is found in Australia and South America. To export prickly pears are grown in Tanzania, Oman, Cameroon, Sudan and Nigeria.

What is a tamarind? What's the matter with botany? In Latin it sounds like Tamarindus indica. It is evergreen, fairly large tree, which sometimes reaches 30 meters in height, with a trunk diameter of up to 9 meters! Its spreading crown is in the flowering period, which lasts from October to February, is replete with many pinkish-white flowers. At this time, the tamarind resembles a familiar acacia. Later the flowers turn into large velvety pods. They're brown and quite long-about 15 inches. That is inside each pod, a white shell (pulp), is tamarind – soft brown sweet and sour fruit with a seed inside.

A Storehouse of vitamins

Now that the reader knows how the tamarind, what it is and where it grows, we will talk about its valuable properties. This overseas fruit is extremely useful and rich in vitamins, macro. In 100 grams of tamarind contains 239 calories, 2.8 g protein, 0.6 g fat and 57,4 g of carbohydrates.

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Tamarind, useful properties of which invaluable due to the rich content of chemical compounds in the composition has vitamins a, B1, B2, B3, B6, B9, C, E, K, PP and beta-carotene. Macro this fruit has calcium, selenium, magnesium, copper, sodium, zinc, potassium, iron and phosphorus. Here is tamarind! Useful properties comparable with those that have chemist's vitamin complexes.

Fruit and spice

The tamarind Fruit widely used in cooking of national dishes in India and Mexico, with the green Indian figs are harvested for adding to dishes that require bitterness, such as spicy stew of lentils and vegetables and meals based on rice. The flesh is green tamarind is very sour to the taste, so is perfect for cooking various sauces and pastes, which blend perfectly with grilled meat: lamb, veal and chicken.

Ripe fruits have a pleasant sweet taste and are used mainly in sweets and desserts and also dishes that require a delicate touch. In Mexico tamarind, make candy, jams and syrups.

It is worth noting that grinded into powder tamarind pulp is used in kitchens around the world in the form of original spices, giving the dishes a separate mouthwatering taste.

European kitchens tamarind is not so popular and is a kind of exotic. However, there is an essential product, without which it is impossible to imagine some corporate catering meals – Worcestershire sauce, which is also called Indian. The basis of miracle-sauce is, of course, tamarind!

Exotic medicine

What's more, useful contains tamarind? The properties of this fruit are often used in medicine, especially in those countries where tamarind is available as widely as we have tomatoes and apples. The fruits has found application in Ayurvedic medicine for the treatment of various disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. Mousse pulp of the fruit has a delicate laxative effect.

Brewed tamarind (tea or infusion of the bark) AIDS in the treatment of fever and bronchial asthma. In addition, the decoction improves appetite, reduces cholesterol, boosts immunity and normalizes blood pressure. In addition, healing tea from tamarind washed my eyes with various conjunctivitis and rinse the throat with angina. Another juicy property tamarind is that it is considered an aphrodisiac for women.

Home first aid kit

How to prepare medicine from fruit tamarind? The recipes are simple!

For the mousse has a light laxative effect, it is the pulp of Indian figs, pour boiling water, boil and RUB through strainer. You can use a blender. In the end, you should get a thick juice, which can add a little sugar or honey. To take the medicine with caution in order not to cause diarrhea.

Tea made from tamarind is also very simple to prepare-just add some fruit with boiling water and let stand 5-10 minutes.

Component of beauty

Tamarind – this is not only a delicious fruit and exotic spice! The oil of this fruit is widely used in expensive Spa treatments. High nutrient content in the young leaves of the tree contributes to the fact that they are perfectly moisturize the epidermis, and successfully struggling with inflammatory processes. Masks of tamarind suitable for oily skin.

Tricks

Tamarind fresh to buy, traveling to Thailand, India and other countries with a tropical climate. In otherStates exotic fruit is sold in pressed, dried or dried. Sometimes it can be seen in the composition of the concentrated juice, sauce or paste.

Tamarind at home you can use either fresh fruit just to eat, from dried to make excellent desert, dried - used as the basis for exotic sauce.

You managed to buy the tamarind? The recipes posted in this article will help prepare him all the rules.

A Delicious chicken in a sauce of tamarind

To prepare this delicious and spicy dishes you will need the following ingredients:

• Chicken-600 grams.
• Soy sauce (no additives) – 4 tbsp. spoons.
• Garlic-5 Zubkov.
• Onions-2 heads.
• Cumin powder – ½ tsp.
• Chicken broth-2 cups.
• Puree or sauce of tamarind-2 tbsp. spoons.
• Cornstarch-1 tsp.
• Water – 1 tablespoon.
• Salt-to taste.
• Black pepper-to taste.
• Chili Pepper ground-to taste.

Fillet should be cut into small cubes, place them in a bowl, add soy sauce, pressed garlic, finely chopped onion, salt and black pepper. All mix thoroughly, cover and leave to marinate for 50-60 minutes.

After this time to put the pan on the fire and heat it with vegetable oil. Then on high heat stir-fry the marinated meat until browned.

After that, add to the pan the chicken stock and tamarind sauce, reduce heat and simmer about 40-60 minutes until the meat is ready. The liquid in the pan, meanwhile, should decrease slightly more than half.

Next you need to dissolve the starch in cold water, stir until smooth and pour in to the meat. Simmer, gently stirring until then, until the sauce thickens.

Japanese spicy sauce

It will be the perfect addition to hot dishes, especially meat, and pancakes with meat or fish filling. For the preparation you will need:

• Tamarind Paste-3 tsp.
• Tomato ketchup-2 tbsp. spoons.
• Vinegar-1.5 art. spoons.
• Salt & ndash; a big pinch.
• Soy sauce (no additives) – 2 tbsp. spoons.
• Sugar – 4 tbsp. spoons.

In a small saucepan boil the vinegar, soy sauce and sugar and cook until until the sugar is completely dissolved. Then add remaining ingredients, mix thoroughly and leave to cool.

What to replace

What can replace the tamarind, if you buy it for several reasons does not work? Analogue of the sauce or the paste of this fruit can be a mango powder, lemon juice or Worcestershire sauce.