Turmeric, the saffron-coloured spice, transports you to the Indian subcontinent for the duration of a meal. The plant from which this root comes is Curcuma longa, a stunning perennial that can be grown indoors, in pots on the terrace, or directly in the ground for the lucky few living along the Mediterranean coast. Discover how to harvest and use the tuber of this plant for culinary purposes – a plant that takes us to the other side of the world!
Turmeric at a glance
Known as Indian saffron, turmeric is typically associated with the little spice jar on the kitchen shelf and its beautiful orange hue. This plant, whose tuber is indeed used to extract its deliciously fragrant powder, belongs to the Zingiberaceae family, which includes ginger and cardamom. There are about a hundred species of Curcuma, including the Curcuma longa that interests us here.
Native to India, Curcuma longa can reach up to 1 metre in height in its natural habitat, where it grows in partial shade. A superb ornamental plant for the exotic originality of its large pink or white bract flowers, it holds several surprises: the entire plant is edible, from its fleshy rhizome root to its flowers hidden within the thick bracts, and even its foliage.
While turmeric is a key ingredient in all Indian curries, in this country it is much more than just a spice, as it is used in Ayurvedic medicine, particularly as an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, and its yellow colour gives it a sacred status in wedding ceremonies and certain religious rituals. Turmeric is thus known as a dye plant: like saffron or St. John's wort, it yields a beautiful, nearly indelible orange-yellow hue. For this reason, its rhizome is also widely used as a colouring agent in the food industry (identifiable as E100).
Most of us can only grow it in pots due to its sensitivity to cold. It's a true tropical plant! Learn all about growing turmeric in our comprehensive guide: Turmeric: planting, harvesting and benefits.
When and how to harvest turmeric?
Curcuma longa produces a yellowish, highly aromatic rhizome. It's ready for harvest once the foliage wilts, begins to yellow and dry out, between October and December depending on the region in our country, about 7 to 8 months after planting.
Use a fork or spade to dig up the rhizomes without damaging them. Gently dig around the plant and lift the rhizomes.
My tip: keep some rhizomes and overwinter them like dahlia tubers, so you can replant them in spring, and only use the rhizomes you need to produce powder (to get 30 grams of powder, you'll need about 100 to 150 grams of fresh rhizomes).
How to make turmeric powder?
The harvested rhizome is fresh and needs to be dried to obtain the precious powder. You can also cut it into thin pieces and use it as is to flavour dishes, like ginger or galangal.
Start by cutting off the stems and leaves, and wash the rhizomes to remove soil. Then, to turn the rhizomes into powder and make your own homemade turmeric, it's quite simple:
- Boil the rhizomes for 45 minutes to 1 hour to soften them.
- Once cooled, peel them carefully. You can use a knife or spoon to remove the skin.
- Slice the peeled rhizomes to speed up the drying process.
- Spread the turmeric pieces on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Dry them in the oven at a low temperature (50°C) for several hours, until completely dehydrated and brittle. You can also use a dehydrator if you have one.
- Grind the dried rhizomes into a fine powder using a spice grinder, blender, or mortar and pestle.
Store your homemade turmeric powder in an airtight container, away from light and moisture, to preserve its freshness and aroma.
Turmeric in cooking: curry... but not only!
The mild flavour and slightly bitter taste of turmeric lend themselves to many dishes of Indian origin, but it's also widely used throughout Southeast Asia, where its leaves are used to wrap preparations, all the way to Iran for savoury dishes. Turmeric is much less pungent than most spices, allowing it to be used in a variety of dishes, even desserts. Here are some ideas for using turmeric, from the most classic to the most original!
N.B.: Curcumin, the pigment that gives turmeric its orange colour and is beneficial for our health, is more easily absorbed by the body when combined with black pepper or fat.
Indian cuisine
Turmeric is a staple ingredient in many Indian curries and vegetable dishes. It adds a beautiful golden colour and subtle flavour that can become addictive (as is my case!)
- Coconut milk and turmeric chicken is very easy to make at home for a quick, colourful and flavourful meal.
- Golden milk is traditionally prepared in the evening by heating coconut milk (or plant-based or cow's milk) with sparingly dosed turmeric, black pepper, ginger, cinnamon, a bit of honey or molasses to sweeten, and ghee (clarified butter). A drink to discover here, both comforting and good for your health (great for colds instead of our grog!). For an even more indulgent winter snack, add some crushed cashews or almonds. You can also add cardamom, vanilla or star anise, to taste. Anne Lataillade shares her recipe on her blog.
- Rice and soups: turmeric powder colours them divinely. Carrot soups are particularly delicious enhanced with turmeric. Also great to add to dals made with red lentils or chickpeas.
- Infusion of turmeric leaves or crushed rhizome: another drink from traditional Ayurvedic medicine, turmeric is beneficial for digestive issues, cholesterol and liver problems (always consult a specialised therapist).
Thai cuisine
In Thailand, where galangal (another root from the same botanical family) is more commonly used, boiled leaves are sometimes incorporated into omelettes or stir-fried vegetables. But the primary use is fresh turmeric rhizomes, for example in coconut milk soups.
The large turmeric leaves are also used to wrap foods like fish or rice before cooking. This adds a subtle, fragrant flavour to dishes. This principle is found in many countries.
Malaysian cuisine
In Malaysia, it's the fresh leaves that are used as a spice, ground into a paste. This country also incorporates them into curry pastes, as in India. Turmeric leaves and rhizome pair well with lemongrass as in satay sauces, but also with tamarind, kaffir lime leaves, garlic, onion, ginger and coconut milk used in all these Asian cuisines.
Vietnamese and Cambodian cuisine
Turmeric leaves are sometimes used to wrap foods in certain recipes for steaming, replacing banana leaves. In Cambodia, the leaves are used in dishes like amok, a fish curry steamed in turmeric leaves.
In Hanoi, Vietnam, a dish of grilled fish called Chà Cá is a city's iconic delicacy. Discover its recipe and history in this article: Hanoian fish with turmeric and dill.
Mediterranean cuisine
Turmeric is one of the spices in ras el hanout. Don't hesitate to incorporate it into your couscous, tagines or chorba dishes for a spicy note. When you don't have saffron or paprika,
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