TAMARIND FRUIT, IT'S HEALTH BENEFITS AND TAMARIND SODA

the tamarind fruit

Tamarind Soda

tamarind in brief

The tamarind is a long-lived, bushy tree with drooping branches and leaflets that close up at night.

 The fruit has a hard, brown shell and in it, contains a fleshy, juicy pulp which is brown or reddish-brown when ripened.

We call this ‘asam jawa’- tamarind is native to tropical Africa, abundant in  India and South Asia. 

The tamarind fruit is used extensively in cuisines around the world with some traditional medicinal uses and over ten health benefits.
I really like the name “tamarind” or ‘tamarene’ as known by the Maoris of Cook Island… sounds beautiful.

It's edible pulp is more palatable when ripened. The unripe hard green pulp is sour and acidic too.

NUTRITION
The tamarind fruit has a sweet sour taste, high in acid, sugar acid, sugar, B vitamins, vitamin C, carotenes, calcium, fiber, potassium and magnesium.

culinary uses  

In Western cuisine, it is found in Worcestershire sauce and HP sauce.

In some other countries, it is used as in tamarinier jams and syrups and as snacks- either dried and salted, sweet, soft clusters or candied.

Or the tambran balls rolled with white granulated sugar and a blend of spices. 

Also used to make sour chilled drink and carbonated drink. 
Commonly for us in Southeast Asia, tamarind is used as a souring ingredient in food dishes. 

A salad dish of young tender tamarind leaves, boiled beans, topped with crushed peanuts and crispy fried onions, is served in rural Myanmar.

traditional medicinal uses  

In Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines and Javanese traditional medicine, tamarind leaves are used as a herbal infusion for malarial fever, the fruit juice as an antiseptic, and for scurvy and even cough cure. Throughout Southeast Asia, fruit of the tamarind is used a poultice applied to foreheads of fever sufferers.

In ayurvedic medicine, it is used for gastric and/or digestion problems, and in 
cardioprotective activity.

health benefits 

It is rich in antioxidants and this helps fight against cancers.
It also helps lower cholesterol and treat bile disorder.
Helps in digestion, acts as a mild laxative and can be gargled to ease sore throat.

Based on human study, tamarind intake may delay the progression of skeletal flourisis by enhancing excretion of fluoride. However, additional research is needed. Skeletal fluorosis is a bone disease caused by excessive consumption of fluoride.

Drinking tamarind juice can help reduce this risk for diabetics and is of benefit in relation to blood sugar levels.
The juice is good for the skin, apply on the skin for that healthy glow.

tamarind- it’s side effects

Although generally safe, tamarind juice can have adverse effects on health. It can increase the absorption of aspirin and ibuprofen by the body and should be avoided by those taking these medicines. It may cause acidity in people who suffer from acid reflux.
Links here  and  here 

other uses

Tamarind concentrate can be used to remove tarnish from brass and copper.

Tamarind Soda 

5 tbsp heap tamarind pulp

Brown sugar to taste

2 tsp nutmeg powder

1 can carbonated drink ( sprite, 7up or lime flavored sparkling mineral water)

Mix tamarind paste with 5 cups of water, squeeze out juice from pulp. Strain away residue. Add in sugar and nutmeg powder.  Heat up, when boiled, let steep for 5 minutes. Leave to cool.

Keep chilled, when ready to serve, add in carbonated drink.

TYPES OF SOFT DRINKS. NON ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES.

types of soft drinks

non alcoholic beverages

the world’s most popular non alcoholic drink is tea.

The world’s healthiest drink is mountain spring water  because it is full of healthy energies.

the world’s most non alcoholic drink is orange juice that is mixed with grape juice. 
it's amazing, you will never go back to alcohol… wiki answers

Link here

A Non-alcoholic beverage (also known as a virgin drink) is that which contains less than 0.5% alcohol by volume.

Examples, a non-alcoholic beer ("near beer") 

and non-alcoholic cocktails ("mocktails").

A Soft drink (also called soda, pop, coke, soda pop, fizzy drink,  tonic, seltzer, juices, mineral, sparkling water/ cider or carbonated beverage) is a beverage that typically contains water/ carbonated water, usually a sweetener, and flavoring.

An Apple cider (sweet cider or soft cider) is the unfiltered, unsweetened non-alcoholic beverage, made from apples.

A Lemonade is a lemon flavored drink, typically made from lemons, water and sugar.

A Milkshake (frappe) is a sweet, cold beverage made from milk, ice cream or iced milk, with flavorings or sweeteners such as fruit syrup or chocolate sauce.

A Smoothie ( smoothy) is a blended and sometimes sweetened beverage made from fresh fruit (fruit smoothie), 

may add  yogurt or ice cream and in special cases can contain chocolate or peanut butter. 

Also crushed  ice, frozen fruit, honey or syrup. Like a milkshake consistency and thicker than slush drinks.

A Lassi is a traditional yogurt based drink of the Indian subcontinent, made of yogurt with water and spices. 
Traditional lassi (mildly salted) is a savory drink sometimes flavored with ground roasted cumin, while sweet lassi is blended with sugar or fruits.

-A Punch is the term for a wide assortment of drinks, both non-alcoholic and alcoholic, generally containing fruit or fruit juice 

The Hawaiian Punch original formula was composed of 7 fruit flavors. They are:

apple, apricot, guava, orange, papaya, passion fruit and pineapple.

Some soft drinks in the world

-Slow Cow (an "anti-energy" drink)- Canada

-Urge Intense (Energy drink sold under the Urge brand)-Norway

-Kola Champagne (despite a name that suggests an alcoholic drink, Kola Champagne is actually a soft drink)- Puerto Rico

-Cham Doo  (cereal drink made from 15 grains)- South Korea

-Pommac (secret recipe including 25 varieties of fruit, oak barrel maturated, one of Sweden's oldest sparkling soft drinks) Sweden

-Coca-Cola(the largest beverage company in the world) USA

–Egg cream, made of chocolate syrup, milk and soda water, which originated in Brooklyn, is a fountain drink. Unsuccessful attempts to bottle it, as its fresh taste and characteristic require mixing of the ingredients just before drinking.

-Isklar (pure glacier mineral water, still and sparkling)- Norway.

- "ÜdítŐ"– It is not an independent brand. During the time of the Soviet union, lots of independent soft drink producers used the very same bottle with a single writing "ÜdítŐ" that means "refreshment".- Hungary 

-Coca Colla, a soft drink which contains extracts of cocoa/ coca leaves)- Bolivia

BANDREK SPICE DRINK

Bandrek hot beverage

frOm sunda with spices

Sunda lies in the western part of Java island, Indonesia. The Sundanese ethnic have long been drinking Bandrek, a hot beverage rich in herbs and spices to warm up the body in cold weathers. It tastes good too. Now, the bandrek is also served chilled.

ingredients- serves 4

• 1000 ml water
• 200 grams of palm sugar/ unrefined concentrated cane or date juice/  raspadura/ gula jawa
• 120 grams of roasted ginger slices
• 2 cm or1 inch crushed lemon grass
• 5 cm cinnamon stick
• Half a pandan leaf(screwpine/pandanus)- shred a little and knot it up
• 5 grains of cloves
• 1 star anise
• 1 / 4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tsp instant coffee if you like

the way to boil and brew

Boil water together with all the above except palm sugar.

Once boiled, add palm sugar and simmer for 10 minutes.

I feel it is best to taste and add what is lacking, you may want a little more sugar, or perhaps you prefer extra ginger- continue to taste, simmer and taste until the versatile bandrek seems perfect for your taste buds.

I have reduced the pandan leaf to half piece only-was two pieces, but that’s me, I don’t want it’s fragrant to be too strong, otherwise I feel like I am drinking a dessert..and that is odd and alien to my senses.

Strain and Serve hot.

Add milk if you wish to further tone down the spicy taste but I won’t. I am lactose intolerant. To me it already has a delicious flavor.