Tamarind - සියබලා

Tamarind

සියබලා

The botanical name is Tamarindus indica. 

Indica does not mean it is native to India. 

The family is Fabaceae.

Tamarind is a long lived, slow growing, evergreen tree belonging to the Fabaceae family, native to tropical Africa and cultivated across tropics. It is known for its sweet and sour fruit pulp used in foods, beverages and traditional medicines. It reaches 15–30m in height with a dense, canopy forming, pinnate leaf structure.It is a large, spreading tree with a broad, dense crown and grey bark. It thrives in warm climates, is drought resistant and grows in various soils.The leaves are pinnately compound, meaning many small leaflets are arranged in pairs along a central stem. The flowers are small, yellow often with red or orange streaks and are produced in clusters. The fruit is a long, curved, brown, sausage shaped pod (7.5–24 cm) that does not split open. It contains 1 to 12 hard, shiny brown seeds enveloped by a fibrous, acidic edible pulp.The pulp is the key ingredient in curries, sauces, chutneys and beverages. It is used in traditional medicine for its reported laxative, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties. The wood is useful in carpentry, and the tree is grown for shade and there a few of them around the Kandy lake. As kids we used to pick these pod from low lying branches but my favourite was Mee Amba.

Tamarind originated in Africa but has been cultivated in Ceylon. It is not a native plant of India. Dialium cochinchinense, the velvet tamarind, is a different species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae. It is native to Borneo and Indochina but may have been introduced to Ceylon from West African countries. In the wild, it is threatened by habitat loss.

Its properties include;

Vitamin C

Anti-inflammatory

A rich source of antioxidants

May have anticancer properties

May improve heart health

Protect the liver

Provides natural antimicrobial benefits

May offer anti-diabetic effects.