# WHat is Tamarina?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-tamarina/207873>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 16, 2003, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-tamarina/207873 "2003-10-16T22:34:54Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Osip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4491bb/32.png) [@Osip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Osip)\
**Post date:** [October 16, 2003, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-tamarina/207873/1 "2003-10-16T22:34:54Z")

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pretty straight forward.

I have come into the possession of lots of fruit juice cans.

Some (name brand BOING!) has this weird brown bean like picture with the name Tamarina on it (tamarindo on the other side which is all in spanish)

What is a Tamarina?

What type of taste should I expect?

thanks in advance.

Osip

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**Author:** ![MikeG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikeg/32/4329_2.png) [@MikeG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeG)\
**Post date:** [October 16, 2003, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-tamarina/207873/2 "2003-10-16T22:44:28Z")

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Tamarind, kinda sour base flavor but goes well with lots of weets and spicy things like candies and Pad Thai.

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**Author:** ![Skwerl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Skwerl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skwerl)\
**Post date:** [October 16, 2003, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-tamarina/207873/3 "2003-10-16T23:13:15Z")

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I think it resembles apple juice in flavor. It’s very good, IMO. I did a search for it once when I first discovered it (also wondering “What the heck is a tamarind???”) and if I remember right it is a fruit from India, and I think Mexico, that grows in pods.

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**Author:** ![gentle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/eb8c5e/32.png) [@gentle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gentle)\
**Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-tamarina/207873/4 "2003-10-17T01:39:32Z")

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Tamarind is a plant in the legume family. It comes from India (the word is Arabic, meaning “dates from India”). It is an essential component of Indian and Asian cuisine.

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**Author:** ![Phage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a4c791/32.png) [@Phage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phage)\
**Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-tamarina/207873/5 "2003-10-17T03:06:13Z")

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A word of warning: The tamarind is NOT good in candy form.  
[http://www.bad-candy.com/candies/tamarind/](http://www.bad-candy.com/candies/tamarind/)

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**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\
**Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-tamarina/207873/6 "2003-10-17T07:31:59Z")

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While it might not be so tasty in candy form, the tamarind based Philippine [_Sabaw ng Sinigang_](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?postid=787994#post787994) soup is pure ambrosia.

**Osip** , please email me and I’ll be happy to send you a packet of the soup mix. Imagine hot and sour soup perfectly crossbred with Vietnamese Phô. It is heaven in a bowl.