From Persia to the Plate: The Story of Tamarind's Name

Food stories are like the spice of life—always fascinating, whether they’re about how a dish travelled across the globe to land on a plate far from its origins or about the inventive (or accidental) chef who whipped up a mouth-watering masterpiece.

Now, let’s talk names. Names, being curious, quirky, and sometimes downright odd, which makes you stop and think, “What’s the story behind that?” You’ve probably done a double-take at a name before, wondering how it came to be.

Well, today, we’re serving you a delicious blend of these two things: the story behind the name of a food item you’ve definitely tasted at least once. Yes, we’re talking about the sweet and tangy tamarind, also affectionately known as imli (cue nostalgic memories of learning the Hindi alphabet on a repeated rhyme of ee se imli).

This tale takes us back a couple of centuries when Indian spices and culinary delights were all the rage among foreign explorers. On one such spicy expedition, a Persian merchant found himself in the coastal regions of Calcutta. There, the locals introduced him to imli—a fruit so sweet, tangy, and downright irresistible that he knew he had to share it with the world.

Eager to turn this newfound treasure into a trading empire, our merchant loaded his ships with bundles of imli and set sail for Europe. Upon reaching a European port, he eagerly handed out pieces of imli to the Englishmen, watching with satisfaction as they savoured its unique flavour. He didn’t stop there—oh no! He narrated tales of how imli could be enjoyed raw, left to ripen, or transformed into a tangy sauce or paste. The Englishmen were hooked.

Naturally, they asked the Persian merchant, “What is this marvellous fruit called?” And this, dear readers, is where our story takes a twist. You see, the merchant had been so swept up in the excitement of his imli empire that he completely forgot its name!

But, but, what good is a businessman if he’s not clever enough to make a few bargains here and there?. Thinking quickly, the Persian merchant spun a tale as smooth as imli paste. “Ah, my esteemed friends,” he said, “surely you’ve heard of the date, which we call ‘tamar.’ This fruit, which resembles a date with its rich brown hue, hails from the land of Hind. So, we call it tamar-e-Hindi—the date of India.”

Now, as much as the Englishmen loved the story, the phrase ‘tamar-e-Hindi’ was a bit of a tongue twister for them. So, in classic English fashion, they simplified it to ‘tamarind.’

And that, dear readers, is how our beloved imli got a new name, thanks to one forgetful yet resourceful Persian merchant!

We hope you enjoyed this tasty tidbit as much as we enjoyed serving it up. Stay tuned for more delightful stories, and we’ll see you soon!