Culinary Uses of Turmeric

Turmeric has a warm, slightly bitter taste and a bright yellow color and is often used to add flavor and color to dishes. Here are some culinary uses of turmeric:

1. Curry Powders

Turmeric is a key ingredient in many curry powders and is used to flavor a variety of dishes, including vegetables, meat, and rice. It is also a key ingredient in various sauces, pickles, and other relishes.

2. Soups and Stews

Turmeric can be added to soups and stews to give them a warm, aromatic flavor. It is often used in dishes like lentil soup, chickpea stew, and chicken curry.

3. Baked Foods

Turmeric is even added to baked foods like bread and pastries to give them a bright, yellow color.

4. Beverages

Turmeric can be added to beverages, such as smoothies and lattes, to give them a warm, spicy flavor and a golden color.

Health Benefits of Turmeric and Curcumin: Turmeric, a plant of the ginger family and made from the roots of the Curcuma longa plant, is a native plant of Southeast Asia and grown primarily in India. Curcumin is the key component of turmeric which gives turmeric its yellow color. Turmeric has been in use since ancient times as a part of traditional Indian medicine in Ayurveda. Today, turmeric is promoted as a dietary supplement for a variety of conditions, including arthritis, digestive disorders, etc. Curcumin, the major component of turmeric, is a strong anti-oxidant and is responsible for majority of turmeric’s potential benefits. It may be noted that Turmeric and Curcumin are often used interchangeably because the primary constituent affecting turmeric’s properties is curcumin and hence it is rightly called the “star of turmeric”.