Turmeric

[poliphilo]

As we move towards a healthier, Gaia-friendly diet we're finding we're eating things we've never eaten before. T'other day it was chickweed today it's turmeric.

I've cooked with turmeric powder of course but what we're talking about here is the root in its virgin form. It's very, very orange. Bite into it and it's juicy and crunchy, has a clean, medicinal taste and leaves a tingle behind.  It's something like ginger but not as fiery.

Comments

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

This is the first time it's come my way. Ailz got it from Sainsbury's.

I was cooking my usual mixed vegetables in cheese sauce and threw in some chopped turmeric root at the last minute. It may have been an afterthought but it was a good one.

[sorenr.livejournal.com]

Well, around here I have a selection of small Co-op type supermarkets so nothing as fancy as Sainsbury's! (Quoth he who used to do his daily shopping in Waitrose back in the day!)

I love the colour that dried turmeric gives, so clearly I need to try the fresh stuff as well! And if I can grow it myself, all the better. What's the point of owning a greenhouse if not to grow subtropical foods?

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I assume turmeric is also used as a dye. I came away from cutting it up with brilliant orange stains on my hands.

[sorenr.livejournal.com]

It is infamously used in fake saffron to give that rich yellow colour... But yes, back in ye olde 1970's my mother has dyed wool with turmeric. Though apparently it's a bit tricky to fix the dye to the fabric, especially if you're not liberated enough to use human urine. (My mother was a moderate hippie - nothing in excess, not even natural dyeing processes.)

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I've never seen the point of saffron. I mean, it doesn't seem to taste of anything very much- whereas turmeric does.