Turmeric

Turmeric is a bright golden-yellow spice that is the dried and ground rhizome of a herbaceous plant of the ginger family, native to South Asia. It has a warm, earthy, slightly bitterish flavour with peppery notes and a rich colour, for which it is often called “Indian saffron”.

Turmeric is one of the cornerstone spices of Indian and South Asian cuisine, an obligatory component of most curry blends, to which it gives a characteristic yellow colour. It is added to rice dishes, soups (such as lentil dal), stews, dishes of vegetables, meat, and fish, and marinades. Thanks to the powerful natural dye curcumin, turmeric is also widely used in the food industry to colour mustard, cheeses, and butter. Besides its culinary use, turmeric has since ancient times held a place of honour in Ayurvedic medicine, and modern research is actively studying the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of curcumin, so today this spice is often added to healthy drinks such as “golden milk”. Turmeric combines well with black pepper, which improves the absorption of its beneficial substances. This ancient, bright, and wholesome spice is an indispensable component of many cuisines of the world, giving dishes a sunny colour, a warm aroma, and a benefit to health.