Scope

A key ingredient, used in most dishes in a variety of ways across the subcontinent is the humble, brown, pulpy tamarind. Variously called Imli (Hindi & Punjabi), Puli (Tamil & Malayalam), Chintha pandu (Telugu), Huli (Kannada), Amli (Gujarati), Tetul (Bengali), Chinch (Marathi), Tentuli (Oriya) 10 , it is savoured for its sweet, sour, tangy taste and is used in many
dishes in the Bhaga Shastra. Today, India is the largest producer of tamarind.The consumption of tamarind is widespread due to its central role in the cuisines of the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, and the Americas, especially Mexico.

The tamarind tree produces a pod-like fruit that contains a brown, edible pulp. The pulp is also used in traditional medicine and as a metal polish. The tamarind’s tender young leaves are used in Indian cuisine, especially in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Because tamarind has multiple uses, it is cultivated around the world in tropical and subtropical zones. The fruit is best described as sweet and sour in taste, and is high in tartaric acid, sugar, B vitamins, and, unusually for a fruit, calcium.

Tamarind paste has many culinary uses including a flavoring for chutnies, curries, and the traditional sharbat syrup drink. Tamarind sweet chutney is popular in India and Pakistan as a dressing for many snacks. Tamarind pulp is a key ingredient in flavoring curries and rice in south Indian cuisine, in the Chigali lollipop, and in certain varieties of Masala Chai tea. Throughout Southeast Asia, the fruit of the tamarind is used as a poultice applied to foreheads of fever sufferers and has laxative effects due to its high quantities of malic acid, tartaric acid, and potassium bitartrate. Its use for the relief of constipation has been documented throughout the world. The Bhaga Shastra is filled with recipes that use tamarind as an essential ingredient, as the long list of the recipes below will show.

Ingredient and Process of Cooking

Largely, tamarind pulp is used in Bhaga Shastra cooking. For the purpose, ripe or ready tamarind is soaked in hot water and allowed to rest for a while. The pulp is extracted by squeezing them between one’s fingers and separating the seeds and residue from it. The resulting pulp is then strained and used in the dishes. However, tamarind can be used as is when ground to a paste in chutneys, and the like.

Vegetables -12 palam

Tamarind -1 ½ palam

Curry Powder -1 palam

Salt – palam

Turmeric Powder -veesam 1/16 r.e

Rice Flour -½ palam

Ghee -½ palam

Red Chillies - palam

Mustard - palam

Asafoetida -2 ku.e

1. Some of the vegetables used are brinjal, raw banana, cucumber, snake gourd, squash, broad beans, lady’s finger etc.

2. Root vegetables which can be used are potato, sweet potato and colocasia.

3. Cut any one of the vegetables or root vegetables mentioned above.

4. Put ¼ padi water in a lead coated vessel that can hold 1 padi water.

5. Boil the Vegetables in the vessel till they are half cooked.

6. Pour ¼ padi of pure water in tamarind in a lead coated vessel. Dissolve and de-seed the pulp.
7. Add curry powder, salt and turmeric powder to the half cooked vegetables. If the dish is watery, dissolve rice flour in 1 veesam padi water to add to the dish.

8. Stir well after adding the rice flour. Follow recipe no. 22 (seasoning recipe) for seasoning procedure and season this curry.

9. Dissolve asafoetida in one-rupee coin size water and add to the curry.

References

Hindu Bhaga Sasthiram: Click Here

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