Just like the lemon tree that seems to be taking its sweet time to grow… Well, okay, I’m being unfair. The lemon tree is growing fast. It has grown more than one foot in one year and I really shouldn’t be complaining. So many branches too. But like the lemon tree, this tamarind tree won’t bear fruits for a couple of years yet and I am so, so impatient for that day when I can just go out into the garden and pick tamarind fruits to cook sinigang or pluck a lemon, slice it and squeeze it over my salad made with herbs freshly picked from the garden too. I look closely at them everyday, willing myself not to go and get a measuring tape to see how much they have grown in the last 24 hours. Most times, my common sense wins and I get over the urge. Other times, well, no one’s perfect.
Hi! I grew up with a tamarind tree at our backyard … & well, I’m not into cooking (and baking), but I think I kinda remember my Mom would also include the young leaves of the tamarind tree in her sinigang dish. & I think that made her sinigang really smell super-sinigang!! like it was screaming from the kitchen. … Gee, Ms Connie, when I talk childhood I mean about about 33 years back and w/my Mom’s recent passing away, I hope I got this one right! She did a lot of home cooking (and baking too), sadly, with me as the eldest, I didn’t show much interest in the kitchen.
We call that sinampalukang manok. Just the tender tamarind leaves, no fruit.
And when the tree is really old enough… think of the ripened fruits too – matamis na maasim. Ay,naglalaway tuloy ako. hehehe.
Kaya lang makalat ang mga dahon! We had a tamarind tree in our old house and we have to sweep the leaves twice a day to at least keep the surroundings clean.