Turmeric

Gorgeous golden rhizome with a familiar pleasantly bitter taste tempered by peppery, citrusy notes. Essential in south Asian cuisine, especially curry powders. Works well in combination with other spices, amplifying and complementing their flavours into a compelling whole. It famously gives American prepared mustards their distinctive bright yellow colour. It is used both fresh and dried. Fresh rhizomes can be freshly grated and added to dishes. The dried form of the spice is prepared by first boiling the roots and then drying them in the sun. Boiling gelatinizes the starch in the rhizomes and increases the bioavailability of curcumin. Curcumin is mainly responsible for the powerful, almost legendary anti-inlammatory and antioxidant properties of turmeric. Curcumin is also known to improve brain function, relieve pain, and stabilize blood sugar