Fresh turmeric is a rhizome. Use it the same way you would use ginger.
In Indian cooking we most often use turmeric in a powder form. It blends into our curries seamlessly and effortlessly and so perfectly, we wouldn’t use it any other way.
Turmeric is a rhizome and comes from the ginger family. Not as knobby as ginger you can see from the photo below, which I took on one of our recent Walking Tours of Little India. It’s tender, slender and bright orange in colour.
Look at the beautiful bright turmeric-orange colour!
Using turmeric fresh has its benefits because turmeric powder is very potent and does not match with every dish. Adding ‘too much of a good thing’ sometimes yields bitterness in a curry. Using it fresh however, allows us to enjoy it subtly, giving us many more ways to bring turmeric into our lives!
To use fresh, always scrub skin thoroughly or gently peel. I prefer to wash turmeric well so I don’t waste too much by peeling it.
Turmeric root is slender. It's best to scrub skin well or gently peel off skin before using.
Here are a few ideas how to use turmeric fresh:
- Add to Asian-inspired or Thai soups like Tom Yum Soup.
- Add to a pressed juice or smoothie (run it through a juicer). Try it in this Apple Ginger Chai Pressed Juice.
- Add grated fresh turmeric as a garnish on top of a curry or salad.
- Boil it in a tea. Try it in Masala Chai.
Please share your tips or recipes that use fresh turmeric!
A teaspoon of: Snow Patrol. Listening to: Weight Of Love.
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Hi am using small piece of fresh turmeric along with carrots for taking out juice . I hope it is fine to consume turmeric in this form thanks
not only turmeric is one of the spice gods in kitchen, it is also one of the plants with so many health benefits. Arthritis, cancer, atherosclerosis, Crohn’s disease is just a couple of them. Here is a list of diseases that turmeric shown to be helpful.
http://www.nutritional-supplements-health-guide.com/turmeric.html
I missed you. Glad to see you are back. My finger tips are always so orange after I peel tumeric for days.
Aww, thanks Bam. I know, I too get turmeric under my fingenails which lasts a couple of days!
wow, how vibrant the yellow is… almost a bright orange! i had no idea we cud cook with fresh turmeric
Congrats my friend, I have awarded you the Versatile Blogger Award today
You deserve it!
Check it out here: http://gobakeyourself.wordpress.com/2012/05/02/vanilla-maple-caramel-popcorn-my-guest-post/
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Thank you kindly for the Versatile Blogger Award nomination~it is greatly appreciated!
Warm regard,
Preena
Very cool! I didn’t know that is how turmeric looks like fresh!
I know! I was amazed too the first time I saw it!
Reblogged this on Beneficial Farms CSA.
Turmeric is one of the spice gods in our kitchen – I understand why your blog is named after it
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Spice god is right!