Turmeric

[Syzygies]

Here's an easy Thai showcase for fresh turmeric:

 

Catfish Rounds Simmered in Turmeric-Flavored Coconut Sauce
 

The last time I made this, it took far longer in Manhattan's Chinatown to find a catfish tank I wanted to eat from. They clubbed and gutted a catfish for me, but the whole alive -vs- dead question is rather blurry for such primitive creatures. The different reactions as my bag twitched in various neighborhoods was amusing. FInally home, every slice twitched around on my cutting board. More out of respect than horror, I stepped out of the kitchen for a bit.

 

Substitute any firm fleshed white fish, if one prefers filets.

[Naftal]

I have never eaten fresh turmeric uncooked, but have not had any reactions from cooked fresh turmeric. As for uses, it's my favorite flavor with white or oily fish. It has a flowery aroma that doesn't seem to be there in dried turmeric.

Thanks for this info. I cook a lot of oily fish and I plan to try it this way.

[Maedl]

I mince turmeric and ginger, saute it and add it to farro pudding. It is truly comfort food.

[patrickamory]

I generally use fresh turmeric instead of dried in most dishes that call for it.

[CeeCee]

I decided to make a quick pickle with thinly sliced turmeric, onions and mustard seeds; upon eating it, I noticed not long after my tongue started to tingle, thinking a possible reaction of sorts, Dr Google told me that it can cause a tingling tongue sensation and was wondering if this is common or others have experienced this as well.  I sort of strangely, enjoy it....

 

Also interested to hear how others use (besides dying ones hands and chopping board) this fantastic spice (perhaps root, in this form)

Only had pickled fresh turmeric once (some Indian recipe which calls for the turmeric in julienne strips) and I didn't experience the tingling.

If you don't like the staining on your hands, keep an eye on the form of the root. Next to a somewhat fresh looking skin and hard feel, I also look how I can cut it up for easy grating. If you have relatively young fingers on the root, which can be easily cut off, you can hold it down with a fork while peeling. Leave a piece of skin on at one end, to hold when grating so your fingers won't stain.

It is very good for the skin by the way, albeit a bit drying.

Speaking of a certain aroma, please keep in mind that different brands and shelf life can give quite a difference in taste. Around here we have a dried biological powder available with a much fresher taste than for instance major Indian TRS brand. Too bad it's way too expensive to use in the amounts I do...

Nasi Kunyit is known here as nasi kuning (Indonesian influence), it's one of the most frequent fresh turmeric uses in my kitchen. Also Thai yellow curry paste and some Indian dishes. For Surinamese curry potatoes and Dutch-Chinese version of mee singaporeI definitely prefer dried, because it just seems to taste right that way.

[liuzhou]

Fresh turmeric root. Ideas for usage?

 

Edited July 15, 2021 by liuzhou (log)

[Duvel]

13 hours ago, liuzhou said:

Fresh turmeric root.

 

What‘s your plan with that ? I can get them in my local supermarket, too, but other than two curry pastes I haven’t really found a useful application …

[heidih]

12 minutes ago, Duvel said:

What‘s your plan with that ? I can get them in my local supermarket, too, but other than two curry pastes I haven’t really found a useful application …

Golden milk tea especially with the fresh turmeric was super trendy here, and may still be. Variations of this. A health angle. https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/golden-milk-turmeric-tea

[liuzhou]

3 hours ago, Duvel said:

What‘s your plan with that ? I can get them in my local supermarket, too, but other than two curry pastes I haven’t really found a useful application …

 

I'm new to working with fresh turmeric, but in the past have often used the ground variety. While curries are the obvious choice, they are something I rarely do.

I find it has a natural affinity with chicken. My go to chicken dish is something like this turmeric chicken recipe. Another is Moroccan Chicken with Preserved Lemons.

 

It also goes well with coconut so I have made a variation on this Smashed Cucumbers with Turmeric, Coconut, and Peanuts

 

Please note that I have never followed those recipes above to the letter; they are just what I can find similar to what I have done.

Some other recipes that have caught my eye but I haven't made yet are:

 

Honey-Turmeric Pork with Beet and Carrot Salad

 

Grilled Clams with Aleppo Pepper, Tumeric, and Lime Butter

Chicken Khao Soi

 

Yellow Chicken Adobo

 

P.S.  I often add it to my fried rice.

Edited July 14, 2021 by liuzhou (log)

[KennethT]

1 hour ago, liuzhou said:

 

I'm new to working with fresh turmeric, but in the past have often used the ground variety. While curries are the obvious choice, they are something I rarely do.

I find it has a natural affinity with chicken. My go to chicken dish is something like this turmeric chicken recipe. Another is Moroccan Chicken with Preserved Lemons.

 

It also goes well with coconut so I have made a variation on this Smashed Cucumbers with Turmeric, Coconut, and Peanuts

 

Please note that I have never followed those recipes above to the letter; they are just what I can find similar to what I have done.

Some other recipes that have caught my eye but I haven't made yet are:

 

Honey-Turmeric Pork with Beet and Carrot Salad

 

Grilled Clams with Aleppo Pepper, Tumeric, and Lime Butter

Chicken Khao Soi

 

Yellow Chicken Adobo

 

P.S.  I often add it to my fried rice.

I love fresh turmeric - there are times I use it so much (mostly curries of various kinds) I've considered growing it - it's a nice looking tropical plant. 

[CentralMA]

4 hours ago, liuzhou said:

 

I'm new to working with fresh turmeric, but in the past have often used the ground variety. While curries are the obvious choice, they are something I rarely do.

I find it has a natural affinity with chicken. My go to chicken dish is something like this turmeric chicken recipe. Another is Moroccan Chicken with Preserved Lemons.

 

When I saw your original post with the pic of many tumeric it got me thinking...

 

I've never used fresh turmeric. Powdered, yes. Never fresh.

 

Did a quick Google of recipes, ran across what looked like a nice tumeric with green pea soup, and a chicken recipe exactly like the one you referenced, but on a different website (oh my, is there plagiarism on the internet?).

 

Hit the not so local Indian Supermarket, picked up a packaged amount of fresh turmeric. And a bunch of other stuff, they've got the best prices around for fresh produce, other items.

 

Had all of the other ingredients on hand at the house (with the exception of boneless thighs, another stop). 

 

Had fun, used the mandolin for the onions, micro grater for the turmeric.

 

Basmati rice on the side, salad also. Came out great. Easy to put together (even went out for beer while it was on the 15 minute cooking stage, because you know, priorities).

 

Tasty. I'll do it again, maybe adding a bit of fresh ginger next time.

 

Thanks for the prod....and sorry for the terrible pic. My phone masquerades as a potato sometimes.

 

And yeah. That's 3 Buck Chuck. 'Cuz if you're gonna cook with it you have to drink it, right?

 

 

 

[heidih]

2 minutes ago, CentralMA said:

When I saw your original post with the pic of many tumeric it got me thinking...

 

I've never used fresh turmeric. Powdered, yes. Never fresh.

 

Did a quick Google of recipes, ran across what looked like a nice tumeric with green pea soup, and a chicken recipe exactly like the one you referenced, but on a different website (oh my, is there plagiarism on the internet?).

 

Hit the not so local Indian Supermarket, picked up a packaged amount of fresh turmeric. And a bunch of other stuff, they've got the best prices around for fresh produce, other items.

 

Had all of the other ingredients on hand at the house (with the exception of boneless thighs, another stop). 

 

Had fun, used the mandolin for the onions, micro grater for the turmeric.

 

Basmati rice on the side, salad also. Came out great. Easy to put together (even went out for beer while it was on the 15 minute cooking stage, because you know, priorities).

 

Tasty. I'll do it again, maybe adding a bit of fresh ginger next time.

 

Thanks for the prod....and sorry for the terrible pic. My phone masquerades as a potato sometimes.

 

And yeah. That's 3 Buck Chuck. 'Cuz if you're gonna cook with it you have to drink it, right?

 

 

 

Nice effort. I woke up one morning to a  housemate who stayed up late making fresh turmeric paste. Not a crime scene but disturbing Even the cats stayed far away.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Fresh turmeric is available even at our local Shoprite.  I've never bought it because I don't know what to do with it.

 

[liuzhou]

3 hours ago, KennethT said:

I love fresh turmeric - there are times I use it so much (mostly curries of various kinds) I've considered growing it - it's a nice looking tropical plant. 

 

I was just sitting here thinking about planting it, too. I've seen photos of the plant and it does look attractive. But, my main reason for wanting to plant it is that it is difficult to find here (and expensive by local standards). Even the ground turmeric isn't widely available. In fact, all Indian ingredients are difficult to source. The two countries don't get along.

I'm guessing it can be grown from the rhizomes I have, just like ginger. I almost certainly won't find the seeds here. This site seems helpful.

[liuzhou]

28 minutes ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

Fresh turmeric is available even at our local Shoprite.  I've never bought it because I don't know what to do with it.

 

 

Clean and grate it. Use as ground turmeric.

[heidih]

45 minutes ago, liuzhou said:

 

Clean and grate it. Use as ground turmeric.

This is fodder for a "never again" post. The color often used as a strong yellow dye...

[liuzhou]

Having been reading the current eG Cook-Off #87: Potato Salad topic, I'm thinking of a potato salad using a turmeric mayonaisse. I always make my own mayo anyway. All I have to do is mix in some grated turmeric.

[KennethT]

9 hours ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

Fresh turmeric is available even at our local Shoprite.  I've never bought it because I don't know what to do with it.

 

When making curries, I typically use the blender as the mortar and pestle gets quite tiresome... just peel the turmeric, cut into large dice and add to blender jar - the stuff I've seen is pretty tender (compared with galangal at least) and blends easily.

 

@liuzhou One of my favorite soups, lately, has been the Indonesian soto ayam, which features some turmeric in the broth.  Also, what comes to mind is the turmeric rice used in Central Vietnam for their chicken-rice, as well as a bunch of other dishes.

[KennethT]

9 hours ago, liuzhou said:

 

I'm guessing it can be grown from the rhizomes I have, just like ginger. I almost certainly won't find the seeds here. This site seems helpful.

Yes, it should be grown from the rhizome - I don't think I've ever seen it planted from seed.  Take a look at the rhizomes you have and see if any have any growing points - you can cut on either side of it (or just plant the whole section) and plant it and it will grow a shoot, and the rhizome will then start expanding laterally.  I don't know if it would be too painfully slow to watch on your vpn, but YouTube has a ridiculous amount of "grow your own turmeric/galangal/ginger" videos....

Edited July 15, 2021 by KennethT (log)

[gfweb]

Good in ballpark mustard

[Margaret Pilgrim]

Do you want to hear the time, some 40 years ago, when I dyed my kitchen yellow while making chowchow?    The relish was delicious; the stains memorable.

[heidih]

1 hour ago, Margaret Pilgrim said:

Do you want to hear the time, some 40 years ago, when I dyed my kitchen yellow while making chowchow?    The relish was delicious; the stains memorable.

Oh gawd - a room mate with a sleep disorder spent the night grating fresh turmeric to make the Golden Milk Tea that was in vogue. I woke up to a  murder scene in the kitchen and cats hiding far away. I keep the ground in the cupboard and use it in various preps. My favorite at times tofu prep is the tofu in large dominoes marinated a bit with the turmeric, olive oil and tangerine squeezes. Broiled till bit crispy. i can eat a sheet pan full through the afternoon.

[shain]

I love turmeric.

Obviously in so many Asian dishes.

Also love it in sweets, which is rare to find here.

Tumeric milk with honey, maybe some ginger or cinnamon is a common thing in our house (because it is tasty, not any other reason).

 

Is it healthy? I believe so. Is it medicine? No.

[Bernie]

according to the "people what know all about such things..well they say they know....they also sell to the gullible...." (..on the internet so they must be real and ethical of course)

Tumeric has at least 12 major benefits and will cure

Blood clots

Depression

Inflammation

Skin Health

Arthritis

Cancers

Diabetes

Obesity

Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Cholesterol

Pain

Toxicity

 

So that is why you never ever see an old sad fat vampire with pimples and a sweet tooth in a oncology ward, holding his stomach and rushing to the loo....see it does work!

 

I am going to apply for funds to prove it cures covid!

 

What a crock of the brown stuff that sticks to blankets.

 

[Duvel]

And for those with a bit of interest of the current state of research on that matter a recent (2021) review article, that gives a validity score and the respective references to the primary literature …