Tamarind vs. Kokum — What's the Difference?

Tamarind (Tamarindus indica) is a leguminous tree bearing edible fruit that is indigenous to tropical Africa. The genus Tamarindus is monotypic, meaning that it contains only this species.

Garcinia indica, a plant in the mangosteen family with culinary, pharmaceutical, and industrial uses.

A tropical evergreen tree (Tamarindus indica) of the pea family, native to Africa and widely cultivated as an ornamental and for its pods, which contain small seeds embedded in a sticky edible pulp.

The fruit of this tree.

Syrup prepared from the pulp of this fruit.

(botany) A tropical tree, Tamarindus indica.

(culinary) The fruit of this tree; the pulp is used as spice in Asian cooking and in Worcestershire sauce.

Other similar species:

Diploglottis australis, native tamarind, a rainforest tree of Eastern Australia.

Garcinia gummi-gutta, Malabar tamarind, native to Indonesia.

A velvet tamarind (Dialium spp.).

(color) A dark brown colour, like that of tamarind pulp (also called tamarind brown).

A leguminous tree (Tamarindus Indica) cultivated both the Indies, and the other tropical countries, for the sake of its shade, and for its fruit. The trunk of the tree is lofty and large, with wide-spreading branches; the flowers are in racemes at the ends of the branches. The leaves are small and finely pinnated.

One of the preserved seed pods of the tamarind, which contain an acid pulp, and are used medicinally and for preparing a pleasant drink.

Long-lived tropical evergreen tree with a spreading crown and feathery evergreen foliage and fragrant flowers yielding hard yellowish wood and long pods with edible chocolate-colored acidic pulp

Large tropical seed pod with very tangy pulp that is eaten fresh or cooked with rice and fish or preserved for curries and chutneys