Turmeric (Curcuma longa)

Description

Turmeric adds a brilliant yellow colour and an earthy flavour to foods such as Indian curries, rice and vegetarian dishes.

Turmeric complements - curries, vegetables, rice, fish, eggs, pickles, chutneys, cream sauces.

Did you know?

Turmeric was used for centuries as a colouring agent, often being substituted for the more expensive Saffron, hence its medieval name ‘Indian Saffron’. In Asia it is believed to be a tonic and a remedy for liver problems. In Indonesia rice dyed with Turmeric is traditionally part of the wedding ritual. Turmeric is also used to colour the arms of the bride and groom and to give a golden flush to the cheeks. Today in the West it is used to colour cheese, pickles and mustards.

Quality

Ground Turmeric should have a brilliant, deep yellow colour and a fresh, pungent, earthy flavour and aroma with ginger and pepper overtones.

Usage

Use 1-2 tsp for 4 servings.

Use Turmeric wherever a dish will be enchanced by a brighter yellow colouring such as eggs, relishes, mustard or cream sauces, soups and flavoured butter.
Piccalilli is probably the best known product in the UK for the use of Turmeric.

Sprinkled into the cooking water for rice, together with Whole Cloves , a Cinnamon Stick and Cardamom Pods, Turmeric gives rice a beautiful golden colour.

Seafood sauces can be enhanced with Turmeric or try a caper sauce for fish with Turmeric , Parsley, Allspice, Bay Leaves, Cloves, cream and capers flavouring a basic béchamel sauce.

Indian Brahmin vegetarian dishes are flavoured with sambhar powder, a hot spicy mix using Turmeric and asafoetida, which balances the ‘windy’ properties of beans and pulses.

Ethiopian beef in pepper sauce mingles the spiciness of Chillies, Garlic and Ginger with the fragrance of Turmeric and Cardamom.

Indonesian nasi kunig is a fluffy rice dish flavoured with coconut milk, Lemon Grass and Turmeric.

Many thanks to Schwartz for letting us use this information.