Turmeric

Family: Zingiberaceae

English: Turmeric
French: Curcuma
German: Kurkuma
Italian: Curcuma
Hindi/Urdu: Haldi

Alternative names: Curcuma, Indian Saffron

Turmeric is a root from the same family as ginger.   Normally the spice is used in the form of a powder.  The roots are boiled for several hours and then dried in hot ovens, after which they are ground into a deep orange-yellow powder.

Turmeric is common in South Asian and Middle Eastern cuisine.  The active ingredient is curcumin which has a distinctly earthy, slightly bitter, slightly hot peppery flavor and a mustardy smell.

It needs only a few seconds of frying to release it’s flavour and has a habit of sticking to the bottom of the pan while frying.   Luckily it doesn’t burn very easily.

It gives a superb yellow colour to anything it touches, including fingers and clothes.  Handle carefully or keep some Vanish handy.