I have "Tumeric" on my spice shelf--Why?

[NMDemDist2]

what is that stuff and what's it good for?

[Callalily]

1. Bread & Butter Pickles?

Curries? Some cultures believe turmeric to have medicinal properties. Lots of uses!

[Warpy]

2. All sorts of curries

It's used in vegetarian cooking quite a bit, from making scrambled tofu look a little more egglike in the morning to making broth look like Mother Campbell's offering.

Yours probably dates from the Flood, though. Toss it.

[NMDemDist2]

3. LOL you're right. I think it was my Grammy's and she's been dead

15 years

I wonder how much space I'd have on my spice rack if I tossed everything I can't remember buying

:hide:

[TygrBright]

5. I did that when we moved...

...I ONLY packed spices I could identify the origin of, and/or knew were of recent vintage, like an unopened bottle of oregano I couldn't remember buying but had a definitely recent label. I ended up with LOTS of space in the spice rack.

Somehow, however, in spite of planting my own chives, parsley, basil, thyme, mint, sage, dill, and lemongrass, I seem to need another spice rack again... how DOES that happen?

heheh

Turmeric is also a good way to make yellow rice, a yummy addition to a number of dishes. The other ingredients can include saffron (if you have it... I miss my saffron crocuses from MD, they would be just coming up now) and fragrant spices like cardamom and pepper or cinnamon. Cook the rice in a rich chicken broth and you have the base for a main meal. Ladle a beanpot on top, or casseroled chicken, or kibbe if you're ambitious, etc.

hungrily,
Bright

[wildeyed]

4. Turmeric is supposed to have all sorts of healthy properties.

I think it has been shown to help prevent Alzheimer's. It does other good stuff, but I can't remember what-all right now. I add it to stuff cause I like the pretty yellow color, too.

[hvn_nbr_2]

7. I think "is suspected" is more accurate than "has been shown to"

but there's a lot of research going on about it. Certain populations in India where they use a lot of turmeric have the lowest rates of Alzheimers in the world. They think that curcumin in the turmeric prevents accumulation of beta-amyloid plaque in the brain.

It also seems to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and may be useful for a lot of other conditions.

Here's one article about the India-Alzheimers connection:
http://www.drweil.com/u/QA/QA72328/

Dr. Weil has a lot of other articles about turmeric and other conditions too. Go to www.drweil.com and search on "turmeric" to get 6 pages of links.

It's used in cooking frequently more for the yellowish coloring than for flavor. It seems to me to have a relatively mild flavor, for something that's used in curries, but that may be just because mine is old because I don't use it much.

[GoneOffShore]

6. Also known as poor man's saffron

But it has to be fresh.

I put some in scrambled eggs sometimes or pancakes, but you have to be very sparing with it. A dusty taste is the best way to describe it.

[Skidmore]

8. Great addition to Middle Eastern type lamb stews and pilafs.

Particularly good in a lamb stew with carrots, garbanzo beans, onions, potatoes, and dried plums. Serve the broth separately, and mash all the solids to eat with a ME flat bread and fresh herbs and plain yogurt on the side. Yummy.

[Tab]

9. It's not a bad flavoring for the right dish, but be forewarned

It makes nasty stains on your fingers, plastic dishware, etc...

[Warpy]

10. Stained dishes respond well to bleach

Something I have to remind myself every time I do a turmeric laden curry.

[Richard Steele]

11. IMHO, Turmeric is what makes a SAAG.

There are a thousand different saag recipes out there,
and I tried a few of them along the way.

None of them had that certain 'saag-ness', they were
just Indian-spiced spinach, until I started with the turmeric.
THAT was the key, at least according to MY taste buds.

[Sparkly]

12. I have a great chickpea (garbanzo) recipe someplace that relies on it....

"Indian Chickpeas," I think from an old NYTimes cookbook... Doesn't use a mixed curry powder, but does use tumeric. If you're interested, I'll see if I can find it.

(Btw, I noticed it's sometimes spelled "turmeric." Anybody know why?)

[Ecumenist]

13. Hey AZ...

Tumeric is a POTENT anti-cancer herb..though I believe it's best in pharmaceutical strengths. Otherwise you have to take it by what amounts to a cup a day, ( IIRC), for it to have measurable effects. I also recall that it has cumulative effects. Boy, I have to reacquaint myself with it's properties again. It's great on Chicken when blended with palm sugar, garlic, fresh cracked black pepper, nuoc nam and lemon grass. Marinate the bird in this paste and barbeque.. Mmm-mmm, it'll make ya willing to sell close relatives into slavery for a taste or two!!

[yellowdawgdem]

14. tumeric or turmeric

I've always seen it spelled turmeric. Anyhow, I've heard lots of good things about it, but if it has to be taken in larger doses, then I dunno.
But heck, it doesn't hurt to sprinkle it on stuff, might save you a trip to the alzheimer's facility some day, who knows? I've found that it has a slightly mustardy taste, so I often add it to mustard. But it is good on eggs, most vegetables, on popcorn, with brewer's yeast and tamari. And its good when you are sauteeing stuff, to just add a little in the oil.

[NMDemDist2]

15. my bad, i spelled it wrong n/t

[yellowdawgdem]

16. See, that shows you need some /nt