What looks like a heap of dirt on that cart is actually tamarind. Tamarind is used in Indian cooking. Many people buy tamarind paste and packed tamarind from the grocery stores. The word "tamarind" comes from Arabic tamr hindi, lit. "date of India." In spite of the name, according to some sources, tamarind is native to tropical Africa and was introduced into India long time ago.
"They sharpened my teeth till I could have shaved with them, and gave them a "wire edge" that I was afraid would stay; but a citizen said "no, it will come off when the enamel does"--which was comforting, at any rate. I found, afterward, that only strangers eat tamarinds--but they only eat them once." -Mark Twain, Roughing It
7 comments:
that is funny how they transport tamarind on a pushcart like that! it reminds me of the scnenes in morocco.
Hyderabad & Tamarind are inseparable. :D
My Maternal Family is from there...although I have not visited the place in ages.
I think I am going to love this blog , as It will take me around the place!
looking forward to some snapshots from Salar Jung Museum
@zak - fruits, vegetables, and plastic utensils, plants, are also sold on such pushcarts.
@mona - Thanks. I haven't been the to Salar Jung museum in a while but the last time I visited they made me deposit the camera at the gate.
Interesting!
On a different note...why don't you have a profile? I would like to know a little about YOU!
Your blog is very interesting.
That's a lot of tamarind, isn't it? And the cart is very tidy, that's nice. I keep a block of vacuum packed tamarind paste in the fridge (I cool Indian and/or South Asian dishes once a week). I don't think I've seen raw tamarind in bulk before. Very interesting. The taste must be somehow different, milder perhaps?
A nice capture, beautiful shot! Cool info and quote.
For a second I thought he was carting `chikki'. Tamrind with a little bit of sugar ..... yummy!
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