There are so many overlooked spices and this is one of them. Not only does it have a lovely, mild flavor (slightly peppery, with a hint of orange and ginger), it lends a lovely yellow color to what ever you season it with. Scrambled eggs seem brighter, cheese grits look cheesier, and chicken takes on a warm glow. It is a member of the ginger family, and its botanical name is Curcuma longa.
Turmeric also has a number of health benefits. It has a long history in Asian medicine and many benefits, such as antiseptic and antibacterial properties. Does the name of this spice sound similar to tumor? No surprise there because it can help reduce cancer tumors. There are so many sites listing the good things that this spice can do for you that I can’t list them all. However, The World’s Healthiest Foods has an excellent post.
There is a lovely picture of the plant at Wikipedia.
I’ve been adding it to many of the dishes that I cook and have found that it adds a gentle heat to most dishes. Consider using this instead of black pepper. Do be careful when using a lot of the spice as the color change might be more than you want. Also, I’ve found that plastic cooking utensils can take on the color as well so you might want to stick with metal ones instead.
