Tumeric An Exotic Spice
An Important Flavoring Spice of Bright Yellow Color
Tumeric is an exotic and important flavoring spice containing a bright yellow pigment known to fight disease.
Turmeric is the powdered rhizome (root) of the plant Curcuma longa. Noted for its bright yellow color, it is related to and similar in size to ginger. Turmeric's flavor resembles an exotic combination of ginger and pepper. Along with extensive culinary use, this herb also contains antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Turmeric is used to color and flavor prepared mustard, pickles, relish, chutneys, and rice dishes as well as butter and cheese. It is also used in exotic spice blends in the Caribbean, India, North Africa, the Middle East, and Indonesia such as curry powder and rendangs.
India is the primary exporter, although Peru and China are additional sources. Alleppey Turmeric is highly regarded for its deep yellow to orange-yellow color. Chinese Turmeric, is characteristically more brownish in color.
The use of turmeric as a coloring agent for food and fabric dates as far back as 600 BC. Marco Polo, in 1280, mentioned turmeric in notes of his travels in China: "There is also a vegetable that has all the properties of true saffron, as well as the smell and the color, and yet it is not really saffron." In medieval Europe, turmeric was known as "Indian saffron." Since then, turmeric has been used as an inexpensive substitute for saffron.
Turmeric is an important common flavoring spice of daily use. In India it is used in the same way as saffron to flavor and color curries. Its antiseptic properties also helps in preservation of food. Turmeric is a native of southern and south Eastern Asia. It has been grown in India from ancient times. Turmeric spread early through out the East Indies and was carried eastwards across the pacific by Polynesians to Hawaii and Easter Island.
Its smell is sweet, fragrant like the pollen of mango. A perennial plant with roots oblong and deep orange inside. The root has beautiful captivating golden complexion when taken out of ground.
The leaves are about 2 feet long, tapering at each end, smooth, of a uniform green. It is propagated by cuttings from the root.
Use Turmeric to add Eastern mystery to new favorites as well as in traditional curries, rice and chicken dishes, and condiments. Turmeric is a classic addition to chutneys, pickles, and relishes. Add a pinch of turmeric to fish soups. Blend with melted butter and drizzle over cooked vegetables, pasta, or potatoes.
Practitioners of Ayurveda, India’s ancient holistic medical system , prescribe turmeric for its antibacterial, antibiotic and anti-inflammatory benefits.
You’ll find turmeric in capsule, tablet, and powder form. Some companies sell it as turmeric and others call it curcumin. Look for a standardized supplement. Before taking any herbal supplement, please consult with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.
Khalsa, Dharma. Food as Medicine, Simon & Schuster, Inc. 2003.
Energy Times. "The World of Healing". October 1996.
