Tamarind is a sticky, sweet-sour fruit that grows in long, bean-like pods. As they ripen and mature, the outer skin becomes a hard, brittle shell and the pulp inside dries to a brown, sticky pulp. The fruit is mixed with sugar and dried in strips to make candy, or rendered into paste. Tamarind paste is a staple of Indian, Thai and Vietnamese cooking. It is used in many barbecue sauces. It gives Worcestershire sauce and many other steak sauces their fruity tang.
Names: Tamarind, Tamarindo, Tamarin, Sampalok.
Source: Thailand.
Handling: Stored at approximately 45°F in cool, dry environment. Has a long shelf life.
Variety: Tamarind Sweet, Tamarind Sour.