You’ve heard all the buzz about this sunny, aromatic spice – but have no idea how to incorporate its magic into your dishes to extract the most out of the flavor components. Your search ends here! Turmeric hails from India, where it is considered a sacred part of Hindi culture. A beautiful partner for infusing soups, stews, curries, marinades and more! It’s citrusy aroma does justice to no end. In this post, we will help you get acquainted with this colorful root by showing you how to store it, prep it and create an incredible dish.

Tumeric is:

• Related to it’s cousin, ginger.
• Carries a peppery flavor profile.
• Stronger in flavor when bought fresh and milder when purchased as a spice.
• Best kept for longevity in a dark, cool cabinet [ground spice]
• A powerful medicinal component holding bioactive compounds called curcuminoids, which carry anti-inflammatory benefits.
• Linked to improved brain function and lowering risk of brain diseases.

We will be covering the most common form of turmeric purchased in the USA, ground spice.

What Pairs Well with Turmeric in a Dish?

– Turmeric shines its brightest when paired with multiple spices and of course, fresh herbs.

– Common spices tend to be on the warm side, these include: cinnamon, ginger, and black pepper.

– It’s also often paired with coconut milk to create rich and creamy Indian curries, or bring the warmth to a comforting stew.

– It can easily add a pop of bright color to your rice just by adding ½ teaspoon into the water while cooking.

– Just by adding 1-2 teaspoons into ANY soup recipe will add a golden hue to the end result of your dish!

– One of the most common ways to consume it is as a tea, latte, or what’s commonly called “golden milk”. 

Here’s A Great Recipe to Start Your Cooking Journey with This Flavor PackedSpice:

Vegetable Curry w/ Golden Coconut Sauce

This recipe is extremely simple to make as it utilizes any vegetables already existent in your kitchen! You can throw in potatoes, zucchini, bell peppers, onion, garlic, carrots – the world is your oyster.

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 45 mins

Serves: 4 people

Ingredients:

• 1 yellow onion, medium diced [1/2cm cubes]
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 large potato, medium diced
• 1 [16 oz] can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 2 cell peppers of your choice
• 1 carrot, medium diced
• 1 can of coconut milk [make sure it has fat on top!]
• 2 teaspoons of ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon of cumin
• 1 teaspoon of ground coriander
• 1 ½ teaspoon of curry powder
• 1 cup of vegetable stock [Better than Bouillion veg. paste is great for this and requires 1 TBSP for a cup]
• salt and pepper to taste
• Optional: you may add more vegetables such as eggplant and zucchini, but for the sake of keeping things simple, we’ll hold off on additional ingredients!

Instructions:

1. Dice all the vegetables into 1/2cm cubes, this will help everything cook evenly.
2. Add ½ tablespoon of olive oil into a large pot and heat on a medium high heat.
3. Throw in your onion, stir until you see the onion transform into a golden yellow color [about 2-3 mins]
4. Add the garlic, carrots and potato and continue to cook for another 5 minutes.
5. Add the remaining vegetables with the spices and stir so everything is coated with the spice. Cook like this for 2-3 minutes, this will offer your spices the chance to release all their delicious flavors and aromatic scents!
6. Add the fat resting on top of the coconut milk can, as well as the cup of vegetable stock and your chickpeas. Stir, add a lid, reduce the heat to med/low and simmer for 20-25 minutes. A great way to rest if your curry is ready is by sticking a knife through a piece of potato or carrot, as they take the longest to cook and soften.
7. If your curry needs more time, just pop the lid back on and keep simmering.
8. Serve over couscous or a bed of rice [which you can definitely liven up with a teaspoon of turmeric per cup as well!], add some fresh cilantro on top.

Some notes on the recipe:

The curry keeps well in the fridge for 3-5 days in an airtight container. Reheat thoroughly before serving.

“Better Than Boullion Vegetable Paste” is a staple for a flavorful stock base in this dish, but of course, good ol’ fashion stock will do as well! Just be sure to season well as the paste carries a lot of the salt in this dish, hence lessening the need for more seasoning.

Most Importantly, taste everything as you build your dish!

You know your palate best, you know how much heat you can take and how much salt you prefer, so be bold with what feels true to your tastebuds! 

Here at All American Seasonings, we create incredible custom blends to celebrate every unique palate. As you embark on cooking out of your norm pantry staples, let us help create this smooth transition and accommodate a blend to your needs and likes.