Tamarind; Tamarind paste

Tamarinds, originally from the Asian and African rain forests, are cultivated today in the tropics and subtropics all over the world. They are also known as sour dates and Indian dates. Tamarind pods, which have a reddish-brown hard shell, can grow up to 8 inches (20 cm) long; the pods hang in clusters from the tall evergreen trees. The white flesh surrounding the black seeds turns light brown and dries up when the fruit is ripe. Tamarinds have a distinctive sweet-sour taste. They can be obtained fresh beginning in the late fall and into the winter; they are also available throughout the year, either dried or as a sticky paste, in many grocery stores specializing in Asian foods. In addition to being used in desserts such as parfaits, mousses, and ice cream, tamarinds are most often used in Asian cooking and in the preparation of curries. Store tamarind pods in a plastic bag placed in the refrigerator.