34. 姜黄 (jiāng huáng) – Turmeric – Curcuma longa
Ground Turmeric
I guess most people associate 姜黄 (jiāng huáng), turmeric with India. I know I always did. But, in fact, it has been known in China and SE Asia for centuries. In China, it has long been used in TCM, despite there being no real evidence of any therapeutic powers, but in recent years, has became more available to the home cook. It has been used in industrial food production for much longer, both as a colouring agent and for its earthy, bitter, peppery flavour.
姜黄 (jiāng huáng) literally means 'ginger yellow', reflecting that it is closely related to common ginger. The unusual order of the two words suggests that it was originally used for its colour, more than anything else.
Here, I see it in supermarkets and in bakery supply stores. It comes in three forms. By far the most common, as it is worldwide, is the ground turmeric. The spice in this bottle is grown in Shandong Province in north-east China.
However, I can also get the fresh rhizomes from which the powder is derived.
Fresh Turmeric Rhizomes
The rhizomes can be stored and used exactly as you would with ginger.
And finally I can get the boiled and then dried turmeric which is ready for me to grind myself or just to be dropped into a hot pot or soup. Right now, I have all three in the pantry, although the ground type is running low – time for a restock, methinks.
Sliced, Boiled and Dried Turmeric
