Turmeric is another essential ingredient used in most of the Indian kitchen. Turmeric is a root. It is one of the first few ingredients you can think of when making an Indian curry.
It is also considered one of the first and foremost ingredients of sacredness and auspiciousness in India, both culturally and religiously.
Turmeric is used as a color enhancer in Indian curries or any gravy dishes. The flavor of turmeric is mild and not strong when compared to other Indian spices.
The benefits and nutritional information
Recent studies show that turmeric contains powerful medicinal properties, has a natural anti-inflammatory compound, and is a natural antioxidant.
Most of the Indian families coat the raw meat with turmeric for prepping.
And the Indians generally use ground turmeric. Usually sun-dried and available as dried turmeric. So my mom buys dried turmeric roots from stores, and she grinds them into a fine silky powder with the help of a grinding machine. This way, it can be stored for up to one year.
The regional names for turmeric
Manjal in Tamil, pasupu in Telugu and haldi in Hindi.
How to use turmeric
I always hear how to use turmeric in food other than curry. Since turmeric has no bold flavor, you may use it with meat rubs or other spices. Generally, it blends well with herbs and will not taste distinctive.
When using vegetables, turmeric powder can change the vegetable with the hue of golden yellow. And the taste of the vegetable can also slightly change.
In South Indian cooking, three ingredients are essential for making any meat recipe: turmeric, black pepper, cumin, and garlic. Without these four ingredients, we cannot imagine making a meat recipe in the South Indian style.
Add a teaspoon of turmeric along with other spices. This will allow you to include turmeric in your diet and increase its medicinal value.
How to grind turmeric roots
Grinding turmeric root is tough, and making a silky smooth powder with household machines like a blender or mixer is impossible. You need exclusive machines designed to grind turmeric. Because the root turns harder when dried. But fortunately, we get good-quality ground turmeric from the local market.
The best places to find fresh, high-quality turmeric powder are online shops, specialty stores, Indian stores, and Asian stores.
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