As a child living in the Caribbean, making Jamaican tamarind balls was something that I enjoyed. So, I wanted to introduce our kids to the fruit and give them a quick lesson on how to make it.
Teaching Princess and O about their identity has become an important part of their upbringing. I’m a firm believer that if you don’t know where you come from, then you don’t know where you’re headed. This is just one of the many ways of mixing our multicultural lifestyle with fun.
Tamarind is found in places like the Caribbean, Africa, South America, and Asia. It’s a popular fruit with tons of nutritional value too. You can find the best ones in Asian groceries.
For starters, tamarind is great for digestion, reduces cholesterol, and has fiber. It has tartaric acid which gives it a sour taste. But, the acid is also a powerful antioxidant that protects the body from harmful free radicals. I like to compare it to scavengers found at the bottom of the ocean that eat all the crap while keeping the ocean clean. That’s just one of tamarind’s many roles.
Other nutritional benefits include potassium, which controls heart rate and blood pressure. It even has calcium, iron, zinc, and magnesium.
It’s a sweet treat that’s good for you too. In fact, with Halloween not too far away, tamarind would be a great alternative to all the sugary candies that lack nutritional value. Why not make it a multicultural Halloween and mix the kids’ American and Jamaican cultures? I think I may be on to something!
Here’s a quick tutorial on how to make Jamaican tamarind balls. Please give this video thumbs up and please subscribe to WeatherAnchorMamaTV.
Oh I love tamarind balls but never thought of making it at home before…. My kids will enjoy making it, they love sweet n sour candies!