Mature fruits should have a brown shell, while immature pods have a green skin. The fruit is a pod containing a sticky brown to reddish-brown pulp which tastes both sweet and sour and contains the richest natural source of tartaric acid.
The pulp constitutes 30-50% of the ripe fruit, the shell and fiber account for 11-30% and the seed about 25-40%. Tamarind has a low water content and a high level of protein, carbohydrates 60-72% and minerals. Tamarind is a good source of iron, vitamin V, thiamine and niacin.
The most abundant volatile constituent of tamarind is 2-acetyl-furan, coupled with traces of furfural and 5-methylfurfural. which form the total aroma of tamarind.
The fruit contains a variety of pigment. The red color is due to water soluble red-rose anthocyanin pigment, while in the common types of pulp leuco-cyanidin in present.
Tamarind is most often consumed as a fresh or semi-processed fruit. It is traditionally used in dry fruit or pulp form.
Tamarind is a well known ingredient in Thai, Malaysia and Indian recipe; they also used in Mexico to make aguas frescas and dulces de tamarindo; tamarind drinks, soft drinks and candies.
Tamarind fruit
