Tamarind (noun.) is the brown pulp of pods of the tree belonging to the pea family called Tamarindus indica. It is sweet, sour, and tangy and tart flavored. Tamarind is grown in different parts of the world and has adapted regional taste.
It can be mild to extreme sour, where the basic chemicals include polyphenols and antioxidants. In India, tamarind is used to make several recipes. The sour tangy pulp is mixed with salt (or black salt) and sugar to get a combination of the sour, sweet and salty taste.
The brown pulp is used to made sauces, chutneys and stews. It is widely used in the preparation of popular South Indian dishes like Sambar and Rasam. The favourite street food Gol Gappa and Aloo Tikki often serve the snacks with tamarind chutneys , curd and black salt.