Tamarinds have deep roots in Indian folklore and religion: In Bengal, the Oraons view the tree as sacred and often buried their loved ones under its shade. Perhaps this is also how another belief came to be—the one that holds tamarind trees are home to spirits, and thus travelers should not sleep under them. Malvi Doshi, author of the book, “Cooking Along the Ganges,” recalls how his father in Gujarat forbid him from approaching the tree after dusk settled for this very reason. Indians of the north are not the only ones steeped in tamarind lore: Dravidians of the south have a ritual performed by the mother of the groom called the “grinding of the tamarind stone.” Indeed, India’s history is rich with stories and anectotes featuring this tangy, complex fruit.