Preparing tamarind for market

The tamarind pods have been boiled to soften them and the contents removed from the hard pod which has been harvested from a tree. This woman is now making the tedious extraction of seeds before taking the pulp to sell in the market.  Tamarind is used in India for all sorts of purposes: making chutney, flavouring foods (it is an ingredient of Worcester Sauce) making candy (it is is very high in sugar content but also tastes sour), cleaning copper and bronze, as a medicine to reduce cholesterol, reduce the symptoms of arthritis and  protect the liver and as a laxative among many other things. It is considered a Super Food and there is more information here with a picture of the pod