Description:
It is a member of the ginger family. Turmeric, the spice, is the underground root or rhizome of the plant. Commercially, the rhizomes are boiled in water for about 45 minutes, drained and then dried in the sun. They are then cleaned, polished and ground into a powder.
How to select:
Turmeric powder is the most widely available form of turmeric. It is a flamboyant golden powder.
Use:
Turmeric is used in virtually every Indian lentil and vegetable (except green vegetable) dish. It is an excellent preservative and is therefore used extensively in pickles. It is added to foods for both its colour and taste.
In India turmeric is used as a condiment. It is used to flavour and colour butter, cheese, margarine, pickles, mustard, liquor, fruit drinks, cakes, table jellies, fruit dishes, other foodstuffs and also as a food adjunct in many vegetables, meat and fish preparations. Turmeric oil and oleoresin is also used to impart the flavour in food and perfume industries. It adds a warm, mild aroma and distinctive yellow colour to foods.
How to store:
store it in an airtight container in a cool dry place.
Health benefits:
Turmeric has several medicinal properties. It is also used as a dye for colouring silk and cotton, in medicines, confectionery, paints and varnishes.
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