Turmeric is one of the best known and most commonly used spices in Indian cuisine, offering a wide variety of flavours and colours to the culinary world.
Turmeric (also known as curcuma) is a yellow-coloured spice with a mild flavour and aroma. It not only enriches flavours but also adds nutritional value. It is versatile and can be added to many dishes.
In Indian and Southeast Asian cuisines, turmeric is used to season curries, chutneys, sauces, salads, rice dishes, soups, meats and seafood. Rice with curcuma , cream of curcuma soup, roasted vegetables with curcuma, chicken or fish with turmeric and various forms of yoghurt with turmeric are popular dishes. The tea is a popular drink due to its health benefits.
Curcuma is not only used in Indian and South-East Asian cuisines, but is also widespread throughout the world. It is often used as a colouring agent in the production of cheeses, margarines and mustards. Also used to flavour sweets such as cakes and ice cream.
In addition to curcuma, other spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaf, cumin, cloves and pepper are often used to achieve richer flavours and aromas.
Not only is it tasty, it’s healthy too. Turmeric has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and other health benefits. Eating turmeric foods can help treat digestive problems, diabetes, heart disease, arthritis and other ailments.
Curcuma is a versatile and delicious spice with almost endless uses. In Asia it has been used for centuries as a medicinal spice as well as a food. In recent decades it has become popular all over the world as a healthy and tasty spice. When preparing dishes, it is important to note that turmeric’s strong flavour makes it less commonly used on its own.
However, it is important to note that turmeric can also stick to clothes due to its very intense colour. It is recommended to handle the spice with care and to cover the work surface and clothing properly when working with the spice.
