Believed to originate in East Africa, tamarind now grows extensively throughout the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia and the West Indies. Tamarind means ‘date of India’ In Hindu mythology, it is associated with the wedding of the god Krishna which is celebrated by a feast in November.
In Victorian times, the British in Goa kept a tamarind in one ear when venturing into the native quarter to keep themselves free from harassment because the locals believed the fresh pods were inhabited by malevolent demons. This earned the colonials the nickname ‘Lugimlee’ or ‘tamarind heads’, and it has stuck to this day. It is an excellent brass and copper polish. Take a slab of tamarind, sprinkle on some salt, wet it and rub it directly on the object to be polished.