"Many of my classmates were afraid to come over because of the huge tamarind tree right at the gate," my sister said.
As kids, we hear people say stuff and then our imaginations take over. For whatever reasons, some believed--yes, believed--that tamarind trees were the favorite "haunts" for ghosts. In addition to one big tamarind tree at the gate, there were five or six others in our compound. Add to this minimal lighting and dull streetlights, hey, even adults can easily become terrified.
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| When I visited Neyveli, in 2002, we spent some time in the old compound. The gardener working for the foreigner living there was happy to pose for me under the tamarind tree in the backyard |
We siblings did not view the tamarind trees with any anxiety. They were very much a part of our life. We found plenty of shade under the trees to play or do nothing. We ate the blossoms and the young fruits. If there weren't any ants, then we even climbed those trees.
What I didn't know then, and until now, is this: Tamarind is a bean. A legume. WTH!, right? ;)
Its botanical name Tamarindus Indica is a complete misnomer, as the tree is native to tropical Africa, but it seems that when it arrived in Europe in ancient times they thought it came from India, and hence the redundant name "Indian date of India."What? India is not the geographic origin for tamarind? WTH!
Like I say, learning opportunities every single day!
With the tamarind, it is the pulp that we use rather than the seeds. One of the dishes that I make, with eggplants, is with the awesome tamarind paste.
I can not anymore think of the tamarind trees like I used to. Now, the tamarind takes on an even bigger and mythical image, similar to Jack's giant beanstalk ;)
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| My parents at the gate To the left, and not in the photo, is a huge tamarind tree |
2 comments:
Oh - this review of the book on beans is going far too much. Third post on beans !!!
Tamarind grows so commonly in south Indian at least that it is virtually a native tree. Maybe it came from Africa long ago, but for centuries now its part of the south Indian landscape and very inherent in our cuisine.
Did you not climb the tree and fall of it all the time ?? And ants (yes the giant red ants, I know) scared you ??? Although I can very well believe that you sat under the tree reading Nabokov :) Ha Ha Ha
Apparently the beans appeal to you so much that you skipped commenting on a non-bean post ;)
Imagine if tamarind and red chilis were removed from the South Indian kitchens because they are not truly native to India ... ;)
Those ants were something, right? In the mango trees, some of those ants created their homes that looked like nests. Every once in a while, monkeys descended on them--we think the monkeys loved eating the eggs? Anyway, it was always hilarious to see the monkeys shove that into their mouths and then they would rush far away and scratch themselves all over ... ah, those fun times in Neyveli!!!
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