Had You Tasted Salamagi Before?

Tamarindus indica, in English, we call it Tamarind; in Tagalog or Filipino name, we call it Sampalok. And the local Iloko dialect we now call Salamagi. This is powerful fruit in the Philippines, and some even use it as Candy. Others made it condiment because of its distinguished sour taste and flavoring. We also used different culinary parts, not just the fruits it might contain. The tamarind tops or the fresh leaves have also been used in cooking savory meats or fish. Also, flowers have fragrances that have been used for generations now.

What excites me this February? The summer season is also the fruit picking, so give time to be thankful for free foodies brought by nature. We lived not in the city, so some offer still free fruits or, if they were for sale, cheap and affordable compared to what the other place could get through.

This afternoon my father brought a bag of brown elongated sour-looking fruits. He said he had been on his cousin's farm and saw a small tree of Tamarind. At first, he didn't take any interest, thinking it might be sour. However, later his cousin explained that the plant is a different variety, imported from Thailand as it was still a seedling. My father got curious and took one fruit, impressed that it tasted different from the normal tamarinds presents.

He takes some at home and wants spare seeds to be planted. He was serious when he said that I might bring the seed to him so he could multiply it up—hoping that some seed would sprout. I also loved the variety. Sweet not usual for the Tamarind, I know.

Back when I was so young and until now, people were still conservative. There was a myth and legend about the Sampalok( Tamarind). In Philippine culture, Sampalok comes from the name "Sampal" and "Alok," Sampal or slap in the face, and Alok or offering.

The story is that there was an old lady who owned a tree that had multiple shiny fruits. The problem was that she wanted to avoid others tasting the fruit and wanted others to have the same fruit as her. She scolded every person trying to take ripened fruit, a fairy disguised herself as a beggar trying and asking for fruits as she was hungry, but humiliation happened. The older woman slapped (sampal) the beggar as she said she was a thief. Then the old beggar turns to a fairy look, and as the older women see it, they immediately offer (Alok) the fruit. But it is all too late.

The sweet taste of the fruit turns sour, then later calls it "Sampalok" as she "Sampal" slap the fairy first before "Alok" offers the fruits.

Why is the story still fresh even though it was fiction? People here still believe that when you take your fruit tree as selfish as you are, the taste changes. Kind of barbarity, but still happening these days. There are many superficies beliefs, as the braid will stop bearing fruits or die back. Just that selfish people.

What does Sampalok taste like? It was a sour fruit, it takes a long time for the tree must be ten years old or older to bear some fruits, but the hybrid variety takes at least lessens to five years before it gives a sweet harvest.

As it was flavoring for sour soup, but when ripened, it converted to glucose, which is why it blends and tastes like sugary sour Candy, Products such as tamarind candy, jams, and pastillas were popular.

Nostalgic for my memories filled as a young me who climbed up the trees to ensure the fully ripened one.

The Philippines is a tropical country, blessed with strange and rare fruits as the summers go.

The benefit of living in the province is to enjoy free foodies like local fruits. Indeed will show more as the summers are filled with fruits. In your country or dialect, what you called for Tamarind? For Ilokano people, we called it Salamagi. Thanks for reading...