Health benefits of Tamarind

Tamarind is used for cooking extensively all over south and in Mangalore almost all older households have a tamarind tree in their garden. We use it for almost all curries ,Sambhar, rasam  fish and sea food preparations ..We also make a pickle with green chilies, ginger and tender tamarind  which is very tasty !

Chinta Chiguru,a combination of  the tender leaves of Tamarind tree  combined with any pulse makes a tasty preparation. This is a favorite dish in AP. Additionally, Tamarind has many medicinal uses. It works effectively to reduce inflammation. Improves the digestive system, reduces fever Improves Cardio Vascular functioning.

usha manohar wrote:

Tamarind is used for cooking extensively all over south and in Mangalore almost all older households have a tamarind tree in their garden. We use it for almost all curries ,Sambhar, rasam  fish and sea food preparations ..We also make a pickle with green chilies, ginger and tender tamarind  which is very tasty !

I use tamarind in a few dishes but for my daily dal and curries, I use Kokam or 'aamsul' as we call it in Marathi. But I really tamarind-dates chutney which I make in large quantities to be used occasionally with chaats and other such savouries. Apart from that, we make a special preparation called 'panchamrut' using tamarind on festivals and special occasions.

@ Kalyani, I too use Kokam , we call it punarpuli , since we have trees in my ancestral home. Most of the fruits,are eaten and the skin dried and preserved . You can make sherbet and rassm out of it 

usha manohar wrote:

@ Kalyani, I too use Kokam , we call it punarpuli , since we have trees in my ancestral home. Most of the fruits,are eaten and the skin dried and preserved . You can make sherbet and rassm out of it 

Yes Usha, kokum sherbet is a summer favorite. In Maharashtra we make saar from kokum, which is our version of rassam, but sweeter and lighter, Solkadhi which is made with coconut milk and kokum juice to which a dash of garlic and chilly is added. I also like to make kokum chutney, especially with parathas.

We do not get Kokum in our parts of the country but tamarind is commonly used especially for chutney. I always bring ready made juice of Kokum whenever I go to Goa.  

Kalyani Nandurkar wrote:

usha manohar wrote:

@ Kalyani, I too use Kokam , we call it punarpuli , since we have trees in my ancestral home. Most of the fruits,are eaten and the skin dried and preserved . You can make sherbet and rassm out of it 

Yes Usha, kokum sherbet is a summer favorite. In Maharashtra we make saar from kokum, which is our version of rassam, but sweeter and lighter, Solkadhi which is made with coconut milk and kokum juice to which a dash of garlic and chilly is added. I also like to make kokum chutney, especially with parathas.

That reminds me Kalyani, some time back I had dinner with some friends and one of the guests , a Maharashtrian lady had bought a very spicy but tasty chutney made with garlic, green chilies and probably mustard and said it was a popular dish in her community ..Do you know about it ?

I am listening first time about kokum. Plz post image of kokum.

In AP , we make delicious  preparation Known as Bendakaya pulusu or a stew with Okra. In this preparation tamarind is used liberally.

usha manohar wrote:

Kalyani Nandurkar wrote:

usha manohar wrote:

@ Kalyani, I too use Kokam , we call it punarpuli , since we have trees in my ancestral home. Most of the fruits,are eaten and the skin dried and preserved . You can make sherbet and rassm out of it 

Yes Usha, kokum sherbet is a summer favorite. In Maharashtra we make saar from kokum, which is our version of rassam, but sweeter and lighter, Solkadhi which is made with coconut milk and kokum juice to which a dash of garlic and chilly is added. I also like to make kokum chutney, especially with parathas.

That reminds me Kalyani, some time back I had dinner with some friends and one of the guests , a Maharashtrian lady had bought a very spicy but tasty chutney made with garlic, green chilies and probably mustard and said it was a popular dish in her community ..Do you know about it ?

Usha, there are hundreds of types of chutneys prepared in Maharashtra, both wet as well as dry preparations. What she must have served you is probably what we call as 'kharda'. Although I do not use mustard in that. My version of it is , fry green chillies in oil for a few minutes, grind the chilliies, garlic and a little bit of salt. And add lemon juice. That's it. It could be the one she served you. But each family has their own version of chutneys which others would not make.

anil wrote:

I am listening first time about kokum. Plz post image of kokum.

Anil, here is a picture of kokum that I found, a fresh fruit as well as its dry skin. The died skin is called as Amsul in Maharashtra and used for the sour taste in daily cooking.

Wel, In Andhra Tamarind is used daily dishes especially charu pani, some of the dishes. Everyone love to have the dishes made of it as it is sour to taste especially ladies. As ladies love to have the food which tastes sour. Some women eat Raw tamarind which will be more sour in taste, specially pregnant women. In early days the women who is pregnant used to make people know about her pregnancy by having it. 

sarala wrote:

Wel, In Andhra Tamarind is used daily dishes especially charu pani, some of the dishes. Everyone love to have the dishes made of it as it is sour to taste especially ladies. As ladies love to have the food which tastes sour. Some women eat Raw tamarind which will be more sour in taste, specially pregnant women. In early days the women who is pregnant used to make people know about her pregnancy by having it. 

True Sarala. We make a dish called Pulihora, during marriage functions and religious functions. In this preparation, we use Tamarind, Chinta Kaya, as known in Telugu in large amounts. The ripened form of Tamarind is known as Chinta Pandu is a combination of Sweet and savour, which is liked by Children. Of course, as you said, pregnant women like its sour taste.

Even the leaves of it also used in dishes which are very delicious in taste. The dish charu pani is good for the health of children of age 2 to 5 years. Most of the andhra people believe that having the rice mixed with charu pani may have good digestion of food. 

We make another variety of Charu known as Ulava Charu, in which Tamarind is used. Ulavalu is known as Horse gram in English. It has the potential to reduce the Cholesterol in the body.

sarala wrote:

Even the leaves of it also used in dishes which are very delicious in taste. The dish charu pani is good for the health of children of age 2 to 5 years. Most of the andhra people believe that having the rice mixed with charu pani may have good digestion of food. 

How do you make this dish? Do share a recipe!

Wel, kalyani making Charu pani is very simple. Just place a bowl on the stove and fill it. then add tamarind a little bit  hmm let say some lemon size. then add add chili powder, turmeric powder and salt according to taste. Then add curry leaves on it and close it with a lid. Let it boil until you get smell. now make seasoning in voke and add that seasoning in this tamarind boiled water. therefore, charu pani is ready.

sarala wrote:

Wel, kalyani making Charu pani is very simple. Just place a bowl on the stove and fill it. then add tamarind a little bit  hmm let say some lemon size. then add add chili powder, turmeric powder and salt according to taste. Then add curry leaves on it and close it with a lid. Let it boil until you get smell. now make seasoning in voke and add that seasoning in this tamarind boiled water. therefore, charu pani is ready.

Oh, it is very similar to the tamaring saar that we make, but we add jaggery too and coconut milk if available and as per individual preference. Coconut milk is optional, the saar tastes lovely without it too.

Kalyani Nandurkar wrote:

sarala wrote:

Wel, kalyani making Charu pani is very simple. Just place a bowl on the stove and fill it. then add tamarind a little bit  hmm let say some lemon size. then add add chili powder, turmeric powder and salt according to taste. Then add curry leaves on it and close it with a lid. Let it boil until you get smell. now make seasoning in voke and add that seasoning in this tamarind boiled water. therefore, charu pani is ready.

Oh, it is very similar to the tamaring saar that we make, but we add jaggery too and coconut milk if available and as per individual preference. Coconut milk is optional, the saar tastes lovely without it too.

We too make something similar except that we add pepper powder and roasted Jeera powder instead of red chilly powder and add crushed garlic while seasoning.. It is very tasty and feels good when you have a runny nose and chest congestion !

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