Tamarind

Tamarind is a fruit that grows in a brown pod with a hard shell. The fruit first starts off sour and hard, but as it ripens, it softens to become somewhat paste-like and its taste is often more tart or sweet. Tamarind is indigenous to Africa, and native to many tropical areas, including India and Pakistan. Many drinks, desserts, and sauces are made with tamarind, mainly in places like South America, the Caribbean, Southern Asia, and the Middle East. In traditional medicine, tamarind juice is used as a remedy for illnesses like malaria, and the leaves and bark from the fruit’s tree are used to heal wounds.