Your ultimate guide to turmeric
Ground or fresh, aromatic turmeric (a.k.a. borrie in SA) is one of the trendiest spices of the year. Make like Abigail Donnelly and add it to everything from a crustless cauliflower tart inspired by Yotam Ottolenghi, to a golden latte (move over, hot chocolate!)
Turmeric is an ingredient in curry powder blends, as well as chutneys, pickles and mustards. Bill Granger uses it in everything from chicken dishes to his popular Indian spiced potatoes with fried eggs. And Nigella’s Happiness Soup is pure bliss in a bowl thanks to the yellow spice.
TURMERIC FAQs
CAN YOU SWAP FRESH AND GROUND TURMERIC?
Yes, you can! The general rule of thumb for converting dried herbs or spices to fresh in a recipe is 1:3 (1 t dried spice = 1 T fresh).
EVERYTHING IS YELLOW!
So you’ve peeled and chopped a piece of fresh turmeric and now your chopping board and hands match your recipe! Fresh or dried, it’ll stain just about anything. Here’s how to clean up:
Countertops and chopping boards - Generally, a paste of equal parts water and bicarbonate of soda left on the yellow stain for about 15 minutes, then washed with warm, soapy water, will remove the marks.
Hands and fingernails - Soak your hands in a small, shallow bowl of white vinegar and water, or rub your hands and nails with lemon juice, then wash in hot, soapy water.
HOW TO HANDLE FRESH TURMERIC
Prepare fresh turmeric for cooking by washing and scrubbing the root. You don’t have to peel it but can if you want to. Grate the root using a Microplane or cheese grater, or smash it with a garlic press or in a pestle and mortar.
Store fresh turmeric root in the fridge in a sealed Ziploc bag. You can also freeze it and grate it from frozen, as needed, directly into your dishes.
Did you know? That you can plant a piece of fresh turmeric root in a pot of wet, sandy soil to propagate your own turmeric plant.
TURMERIC IS A GOOD MATCH WITH... almond, black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, chilli powder, coconut, coriander, cumin, garlic, ginger.
Want to up your turmeric intake? Try these fast ideas.
Note: Turmeric is extremely pungent, so go slow and add according to taste.
Quick and easy ways with turmeric
- Add a pinch of ground turmeric to scrambled eggs.
- Make golden spiced roast potatoes by tossing parboiled potatoes in ground turmeric before roasting.
- Stir ground turmeric to taste into plain yoghurt as a topping for baked potatoes.
- Add a little ground turmeric to cauliflower soup to turn it a beautiful golden colour.
- Blend fresh turmeric into a smoothie of coconut milk, ClemenGold segments, rolled oats, fresh ginger, honey and vanilla extract.
- Make a pot of spicy turmeric tea: bring four cups water to the boil, add 1 t ground turmeric and reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes. Strain into a cup, add a pinch of black pepper and honey and lemon juice to taste.
- Make a dressing for salads and roast veg by combining chopped fresh turmeric with fresh coriander, honey, apple cider vinegar and olive oil.
- Dust toasted coconut chips in ground turmeric.
GOLDEN LATTE WITH BLACK PEPPER AND MAPLE SYRUP
Turmeric adds slight bitterness to the warm coconut milk, which is balanced by the spice of the black pepper. Sweetness comes from the maple syrup, while rose rounds it all off with a subtle floral note. Keep warm this winter by drinking one golden latte after another. It’s the hot chocolate of 2017!
Get the golden latte with black pepper and maple syrup recipe here.
THE IMPOSSIBLE CUSTARD TART
This dessert is impossibly delicious to eat and (bonus!) so easy it’s impossible to fail at making it. Simply blend all the ingredients, bake, serve and surrender.
Get the the impossible custard tart recipe here.
CAULIFLOWER-AND- BRINJAL TART
This moreish crustless tart, inspired by Yotam Ottolenghi’s in Plenty More, makes a substantial lunch served with a simple salad of leaves dressed with pomegranate molasses.
Get the cauliflower-and-brinjal tart recipe here.
ONE-POT CHICKEN BAKED ON DHAL
The ginger, turmeric and chilli in this easy, comforting supper will warm you up from the inside. We’ll always love yellow rice and bobotie (thanks mom!), but we love the inventive new ways that turmeric is being used to show off its beautiful pungency and earthy flavour.
Get the one-pot chicken baked on dhal recipe here.
STICKY ROAST CARROTS IN BARLEY BROTH
A hearty, warming home-made broth full of flavour thanks to gratings of fresh turmeric and ginger, and a squeeze of lemon. You won’t stop at just one bowl.
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