Sweet tamarind

Growing up in Asia, tamarind is a local fruit. If you wonder what it looks like, it is an indehiscent legume, sometimes called a pod, 12 to 15 cm (4 1⁄2 to 6 in) in length, with a hard, brown shell. The fruit has a fleshy, juicy, acidic pulp. It is mature when the flesh is coloured brown.

Not all tamarind fruit is sweet, hence, back home, we used to cooked it into a jam. I love it when my mom does it her way. It's typically a dessert after meal or a candy snack.

Ingredients:
350 grams tamarind
3 tbsp lemon juice
water
1/2 cup of brown sugar

Procedures:
1. Peel the skin off the tamarind. Do not remove the threads that hold it together
2. Soak the tamarind in water overnight or at least 4 hours.
3. Drain the tamarind. Use a sieve to ensure there's no water is dripping off the fruit.
3. In a medium pan, put 1/2 cup of brown sugar over low heat. When the sugar is fully melted (caramelised), add the tamarind. Ensure the heat is low. Add lemon juice and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes
4. Transfer to a Tupperware with lid. Do not put the lid on while it's hot. Wait til it cools a bit.
5. Serve and enjoy. It's typically a dessert.