Types Of Turmeric And Their Uses In Cooking
Everything is yellow, including your lattes, smoothies, muffins, pies, and chocolates. Who would have imagined that this common Indian spice would become popular! Turmeric, also known as Haldi in Hindi, is a vibrant yellow spice that Indians use in food for reasons more than simply giving it the distinct yellow hue associated with Indian cuisine.
Chinese and Indian traditional medicine has utilized turmeric, also known as curcumin, which is a member of the ginger family, for thousands of years to treat infections, wounds, and other illnesses. A simple scent, color, and quality distinctions between several turmeric varieties are insufficient. The star of the turmeric show is Curcumin, the most significant chemical component.
Recent scientific studies done on both humans and animals have highlighted the advantages of this orange-colored root (not related to carrots at all). Learn about the various forms of turmeric, how to utilize it in cooking, and how to take it into daily life.
Different Types Of Turmeric In India
1. Lakadong
The Lakadong turmeric, known as the world’s greatest turmeric, is a monster of spice when it comes to supremacy, largely because of its high curcumin levels. For the production of this unique turmeric type, farmers utilize sustainable farming techniques and let it grow organically without the use of any artificial fertilizers.
2. Alleppey
This turmeric is grown in the most southern region of India, in a place named Alleppey, Kerela. The turmeric variety found in Kerela, a region well-known for its backwaters and natural beauty, has an average curcumin percentage of 5%, making it reasonably effective as a coloring agent and a source of healthcare.
3. Madras
Another turmeric variation that may be found in South India is the Madras variant. The most popular type of turmeric that is sold in supermarkets is this one. Its hue is a light yellow, and its curcumin content is often 3.5 percent.
4. Erode
After battling for it for eight long years, this specific turmeric kind finally received a GI designation in the year 2019. It has a curcumin content of between 2 and 4 percent. It is a local cultivar from Erode and is brilliant in yellow color.
5. Sangli
This turmeric is from Maharashtra, another modern GI Tag country. Nearly 70% of the state’s entire production of turmeric comes from this plant, which is reputed to have excellent therapeutic benefits. Deeply orange in color, Sangli turmeric is commonly utilized in medicine.
Types Of Turmeric Available In Market
1.Ground Turmeric
Ground turmeric is the form of spice that is used the most frequently. It’s handy and simple to use. Add a teaspoon or two of turmeric powder to stir-fries, soups, curries, smoothies, and rice meals. Additionally, you may add turmeric to scrambled eggs, pork, fish, and tofu marinades.
2. Dry Root Turmeric
It’s more difficult to use dry turmeric. Whole, dried turmeric roots are mostly used in powder form in cooking. This turmeric is brittle and stiff. To use it in cooking, you must first grind it into powder. You’ll need a decent paste or spice grinder for this.
Some people add a little piece of entire turmeric root to sauces and curries and take it out just before serving. You lose a lot of turmeric by doing this, though. It’s also not advised to add dried whole turmeric to smoothies since it might break the blade.
3. Fresh Turmeric
The purest and most recent form of turmeric that may be used in cooking is probably fresh turmeric. It has a greater flavor and color but is less useful when compared to ground turmeric. Similar to ginger, fresh turmeric should also have its peel removed. The skin should be removed with the back of a spoon.
The remaining fresh turmeric can be refrigerated or wrapped in cling film and kept in an airtight container. To prepare smoothies, add a tiny piece of fresh turmeric. Fresh turmeric root should be grated, ground, or made into a paste before being added to curries, soups, dips, muffins, pies, marinades, and milk.
Uses Of Turmeric
1. Adds Color And Flavor To The Food
Turmeric is a spice that is used to intensify food color in dishes like kadhi, magai sadam, coconut stew, dal, etc. Food’s flavor is little affected by the use of turmeric. It serves mostly as a spice for coloring rather than enhancing flavor. It does, however, have a very distinctive taste that, when left uncooked, gives the meal a faint spicy flavor.
2. To Cure Ailments
Today, turmeric is used as a herbal alternative medicine in the form of pastes, oils, and capsules. There are various health benefits of turmeric few of them are listed below:
- Increase immunity
- Avoid cancer
- Cleanse the body
- Cough and cold prevention
- Heal wounds
- Alleviation of arthritic pain
3. In Beauty Treatments
Indian wedding customs include the use of turmeric paste. On the morning of the wedding, the bride and the bridegroom are covered in fresh turmeric paste for symbolical, health, and beauty reasons. It also helps reduce dark circles, glowing skin, acne, and pimples and removes tanning from your body.
Is It Safe To Use Turmeric every day?
How much turmeric is healthy for you after reading about its benefits? The Food and Drug Administration believes that it is safe to use turmeric in cooking. The amount of curcumin in meals and dishes is more tightly regulated and lowered since turmeric is used in combination with other ingredients.
According to this Healthline article, a concentrated turmeric extract has a curcumin content of 95% compared to 3% in turmeric spice. Still, there are several advantages to using turmeric as a spice. It is safe to consume 12 g, or around 2-3 teaspoons, of turmeric daily.
Conclusion
This colorful, well-liked golden spice has conquered the globe as a superfood! It has long been the Indian grandmothers’ go-to treatment for all health difficulties! Additionally, researchers have been examining what makes turmeric such a remarkable spice.
Turmeric is a particularly adaptable and all-purpose cooking spice due to its flexibility and range of uses. There is not enough research or reports to suggest any consequences of taking turmeric. Certainly not when used as a spice. However, it is advised to take it sparingly and to obtain medical advice if you are thinking about taking turmeric as a supplement. It is a spice of brightness!
Advika is a talented Indian cook with a passion for sharing her culinary expertise with others. Born and raised in India, she has spent years mastering traditional recipes from across the country, as well as putting her own unique twist on classic dishes. Her recipes are easy to follow, with step-by-step instructions and helpful tips for cooks of all levels
