So what is tamarind Tamarind is the fruit of the tamarind tree (Tamarindus indica), a leguminous tree native to tropical Africa but widely grown in South Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America. Encased in a brown, pod-like shell, the tamarind fruit contains a sticky, dark, and tangy-sweet pulp that surrounds hard seeds. This pulp is the part used in cooking, either fresh or processed into paste, concentrate, or blocks. Tamarind is known for its distinctive tart flavour, wh