Tamarind | Valanpuli | വലൻപുലി | Tamarindus indica L.
What is Valanpuli (വലൻപുലി) – Valanpuli (വലൻപുലി), is the Malayalam name for Tamarind (Tamarindus indica L.). The sour and fruity taste of Valanpuli (tamarind) merges well with the heat of chillies and gives many South Indian dishes their hot and sour character, and their dark colour.
The pulp of ripe fruit of Valanpuli tree is commonly used as condiment in many Indian dishes particularly South Indian dishes.
In India, Thailand, Southern Europe and Latin America, tamarind is a popular cooking and condiment flavour.
The tree originated in Africa, but now it is cultivated mainly in South India and in the Caribbean.
Arabs are believed to have called it “date of India”; the English word date is related to “dactyl”, the Latin word for finger, which applies to the pod of the Valanpuli tree more than to the fruit of the date palm.
Read more: Health Benefits of Valanpuli (വലൻപുലി)
Tamarind has plenty of niacin, calcium, vitamin C, copper, and pyridoxine. There are also a number of organic compounds that make Valanpuli a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent.