The tamarind that you buy here in the US is the pulp and water of the fruit of a Tamarind tree. One brand comes in a short plastic jar with red plastic lid and has the picture of a tamarind fruit on the outside. Another comes in a small glass jar with white lid.

You can make a drink from it with a tablespoon of tamarind pulp and a tablespoon of sugar mixed in a glass of water and ice. But be careful about how much you drink because it can be a mild laxative.

In Thailand, the wood of the Tamarind tree is the best cutting board because it is soft for the knife and you frequently cutting boards made from flat cuts from a tree 4 inches thick and up to 3 feet in diameter.