tamarind

noun tam·a·rind \ ˈta-mə-rənd , -ˌrind \

|Updated on: 9 May 2018

Definition of tamarind

1 : an African evergreen tree (Tamarindus indica) of the legume family that is widely grown in tropical regions and has hard yellowish wood, pinnate leaves, red-striped yellow flowers, and an edible fruit

2 : the fruit of the tamarind tree consisting of an oblong brown pod containing 1 to 12 flat seeds embedded in a brownish, sticky, acidic pulp which is used especially in preserves and pastes and to flavor foods and beverages

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Recent Examples of tamarind from the Web

For a meal with a little Latin flair, duck into the chic and trendy Tequila 61 for king salmon tacos garnished with crispy fried onions, pineapple and chipotle tamarind sauce.

— Anchorage Daily News, "Searching for Anchorage’s finest bites? Think seafood," 2 May 2018
In a bowl, whisk together lemon juice, sesame oil, soy sauce, honey and tamarind paste.

— San Antonio Express-News, "Recipe: Ceviche Nikkei," 25 Apr. 2018
Made with dates and tamarind paste, along with tomatoes, onions, cherry peppers, garlic, and white vinegar, Basbaas’s version is slightly sweet and smoky, with a gentle, warming heat that shouldn’t scare off the spice-averse.

— aliza abarbanel, Bon Appetit, "5 Healthy Store-Bought Sauces that Make Weeknight Cooking WAY Chill," 19 Mar. 2018
The cocktail list is worth a look too; consider the Tainted Tonic, mixed with ginger vodka and tamarind.

— jo rodgers, Vogue, "The Best No-Reservation Restaurants for London Fashion Week," 17 Feb. 2018
The tamarind tree produces seed pods that contain edible pulp.

— lauren delgado, OrlandoSentinel.com, "How to celebrate National Margarita Day in Central Florida," 22 Feb. 2018
Besides familiar paneer pakora (battered and fried cheese) and vegetable pakora, Indian Delight makes bread pakora ($2.99), crisp outside and moist inside, with tamarind and cilantro chutneys for dipping.

— carol deptolla, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "At Indian Delight in Oak Creek, the name fits," 16 Jan. 2018
On a recent weeknight at Folklore, at the Destination Singapore Beach Road hotel, table after table was filled with locals tucking into dishes like pork belly braised in tamarind gravy and eggplant sambal.

— New York Times, "An Evangelist of Singaporean Food Has a New Pulpit," 24 Feb. 2018
Tamarind Margarita This Bahama Breeze margarita requires a bit more prep work — including finding tamarind pulp.

— lauren delgado, OrlandoSentinel.com, "How to celebrate National Margarita Day in Central Florida," 22 Feb. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'tamarind.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.