Turmeric

Used in 10 recipes on RecipeWiki.

Ground turmeric is the dried, powdered root of a plant in the ginger family. It has an earthy, slightly bitter, musky flavour and a strong golden colour. It appears in most of the Indian dishes on this site, from Chana Masala and Saag Paneer to Weeknight Red Lentil Dal, usually fried briefly in oil or ghee to cook out its raw edge. It also colours the rice in Smoked Haddock Kedgeree. A little goes a long way, since too much turns a dish bitter and dusty. It stains hands, wooden spoons and worktops, so wipe up spills quickly. Buy small amounts, as it fades with time.

What else can I make with it?

Most often cooked with

Recipes with turmeric

Chana Masala — shot from directly overhead: chickpeas simmered in a dark

Chana Masala

Chickpeas simmered in a dark, sour tomato and onion masala, finished with amchur so the sourness sits behind the spice rather than on top of it.

CurriesIndianLunch

Chicken Tikka Masala — shot from directly overhead: yogurt-marinated chicken charred hard under a grill

Chicken Tikka Masala

Yogurt-marinated chicken charred hard under a grill, then finished in a spiced tomato and cream sauce that only works if the char goes in with it.

ChickenCurriesDinner

Egg Curry — shot from directly overhead: hard-boiled eggs

Egg Curry

Hard-boiled eggs, scored and browned in spice, simmered in an onion and tomato masala.

30 minutesCurriesIndian

Goan Fish Curry — shot from directly overhead: white fish poached in a coconut and tamarind sauce ground from whole spices

Goan Fish Curry

White fish poached in a coconut and tamarind sauce ground from whole spices, sour and hot in equal measure and cooked in under half an hour.

30 minutesCurriesDinner

Malai Kofta — shot from directly overhead: potato and paneer dumplings fried until crisp

Malai Kofta

Potato and paneer dumplings fried until crisp, sitting in a mild cashew and tomato sauce enriched with cream.

1 hr 20 minServes 4

CurriesIndianPotatoes

Pork Vindaloo — shot from directly overhead: pork marinated in vinegar

Pork Vindaloo

Pork marinated in vinegar, garlic and dried chillies, then cooked slowly until sharp, dark and much more sour than hot.

9 hr 55 minServes 6

CurriesIndianPork

Saag Paneer — shot from directly overhead: spinach cooked down to a dark

Saag Paneer

Spinach cooked down to a dark, silky base with ginger and green chilli, with cubes of fried paneer folded through at the end.

30 minutesCheeseCurries

Slow-Cooked Black Dal — shot from directly overhead: whole urad soaked overnight and simmered for hours until it turns black and glossy

Slow-Cooked Black Dal

Whole urad soaked overnight and simmered for hours until it turns black and glossy, then finished with butter and a little cream.

15 hr 50 minServes 6

IndianMain coursesTomatoes

Smoked Haddock Kedgeree — shot from directly overhead: smoked haddock poached in milk

Smoked Haddock Kedgeree

Smoked haddock poached in milk, the rice then cooked in that same liquid, folded together with boiled eggs and curry spices.

1 hr 10 minServes 4

BreakfastBritishFish

Weeknight Red Lentil Dal — shot from directly overhead: red lentils simmered down to a loose puree with turmeric

Weeknight Red Lentil Dal

Red lentils simmered down to a loose puree with turmeric, then finished with cumin, mustard seed and garlic bloomed in hot ghee.

DinnerIndianMain courses

by zestykestrel