Post by saisri on Mar 19, 2007 15:32:40 GMT
Source : www.all-foods-natural.com/dossier/turmeric.html
Turmeric (curcuma domestica
or c. longa)
ZYNGIBERACEAE
HERBS, SPICES, CONDIMENTS & FLAVORS
Dossier
ABOUT TURMERIC
It is one of the great Indian spices. Used since antiquity, not only as spice, As a perfume or dye for priestly robes as well, and appreciated for its medicinal properties. Nowadays, as a paste, it is employed to relieve itching, rashes and skin disease, and in cosmetic to stain the skin of a yellow golden color. Turmeric is one of the cheapest spices, since it thrives in areas of production.
TURMERIC
Turmeric comes from the knobbly rhizome or root of a ginger like plant. The rhizome has a yellow brown rind and an orange interior. Turmeric is used in curry powder and as a spice on its own. Its flavor is sweeter and more delicate than ginger.
The plant is a tropical perennial bush that can grow up to 3 ft (1 m) high. It has long lily like leaves and it produces spikes of yellow green flowers in the summer.
Native to south east Asia –China and Indonesia— and grown in India, all south east Asia e Indonesia, and Australia. It can be found in Africa and it is grown in places as Jamaica or Peru.
HOW TO USE AND STORE TURMERIC
As with ginger, the spice is produced from the roots of the plant. The rhizome has to be boiled, dried, and ground to a fine yellow powder before use.
Dried pieces of root can be obtained sometimes, but it is almost impossible to grind them at home. Turmeric is usually available as powder. Buy little and often for the freshest, purest flavor, as recommended with all ground spices, because, although the powder keeps its coloring properties indefinitely, it loses flavor and it can turn musty if kept for too long.
Turmeric is mainly used in curries and other spiced dishes. It is an essential ingredient in commercial curry powders. It can be found as a natural coloring in prepared chicken or vegetable stock and sock cubes too. Turmeric can be used in pickles and chutneys, in Picalilly relish; turmeric gives flavor to pilaus and color to sweet dishes.
In North African and Middle Eastern cuisine, tumeric is added to sauces, cous-cous and rice dishes.
HOW TO GROW TURMERIC
Turmeric needs hot, moist, tropical land. In the areas where it thrives, it needs little attention. It is propagated from rhizomes.
COOKING WITH TURMERIC - sample recipes
Olive oil is not the fat of election in Asia, but it is our favorite and we find it blends very well whit the other ingredients.
YELLOW CHICKEN
2 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
juice of 1 lemon
½ tsp turmeric
1 cardamom pod cracked or ½ tsp cardamom seeds
1/3 cup (10 tbsp) water or chicken stock
1 lb chicken breast, skinless and cut into pieces
salt and pepper to taste
parsley to garnish
Heat the oil in a pan and brown the chicken pieces for 3-4 minutes.
Add the garlic, lemon juice, cardamom, stock, and seasoning.
Bring it slowly to a boil, cover and cook gently for 15-20 minutes.
Turn the pieces often and add a little water if necessary.
When cooked, transfer to a warmed serving dish, cover with the sauce and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
TIP – The sauce sets to a lovely lemon colored jelly when cold.
Make it your recipe. Try using other chicken parts, skin and bone in for a richer jelly, coriander instead of parsley, try this recipe with a firm white fish like monkfish. Do not forget to adjust the water added and cooking time accordingly.
COOKING YOUR WAY and other resources
It is your turn, now. In India, the spice mix for the curry is prepared on the spot, maybe enough for a week; they do not use curry powder. Prepare your own curry mix, why not? Turmeric is used sometimes instead of saffron, the most expensive spice, though we did not get good results with this practice and we do not endorse it, therefore. A better compromise is adding a tiny amount of turmeric to enhance color, reducing the amount of saffron used without changing the flavor too much.
Turmeric (curcuma domestica
or c. longa)
ZYNGIBERACEAE
HERBS, SPICES, CONDIMENTS & FLAVORS
Dossier
ABOUT TURMERIC
It is one of the great Indian spices. Used since antiquity, not only as spice, As a perfume or dye for priestly robes as well, and appreciated for its medicinal properties. Nowadays, as a paste, it is employed to relieve itching, rashes and skin disease, and in cosmetic to stain the skin of a yellow golden color. Turmeric is one of the cheapest spices, since it thrives in areas of production.
TURMERIC
Turmeric comes from the knobbly rhizome or root of a ginger like plant. The rhizome has a yellow brown rind and an orange interior. Turmeric is used in curry powder and as a spice on its own. Its flavor is sweeter and more delicate than ginger.
The plant is a tropical perennial bush that can grow up to 3 ft (1 m) high. It has long lily like leaves and it produces spikes of yellow green flowers in the summer.
Native to south east Asia –China and Indonesia— and grown in India, all south east Asia e Indonesia, and Australia. It can be found in Africa and it is grown in places as Jamaica or Peru.
HOW TO USE AND STORE TURMERIC
As with ginger, the spice is produced from the roots of the plant. The rhizome has to be boiled, dried, and ground to a fine yellow powder before use.
Dried pieces of root can be obtained sometimes, but it is almost impossible to grind them at home. Turmeric is usually available as powder. Buy little and often for the freshest, purest flavor, as recommended with all ground spices, because, although the powder keeps its coloring properties indefinitely, it loses flavor and it can turn musty if kept for too long.
Turmeric is mainly used in curries and other spiced dishes. It is an essential ingredient in commercial curry powders. It can be found as a natural coloring in prepared chicken or vegetable stock and sock cubes too. Turmeric can be used in pickles and chutneys, in Picalilly relish; turmeric gives flavor to pilaus and color to sweet dishes.
In North African and Middle Eastern cuisine, tumeric is added to sauces, cous-cous and rice dishes.
HOW TO GROW TURMERIC
Turmeric needs hot, moist, tropical land. In the areas where it thrives, it needs little attention. It is propagated from rhizomes.
COOKING WITH TURMERIC - sample recipes
Olive oil is not the fat of election in Asia, but it is our favorite and we find it blends very well whit the other ingredients.
YELLOW CHICKEN
2 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
juice of 1 lemon
½ tsp turmeric
1 cardamom pod cracked or ½ tsp cardamom seeds
1/3 cup (10 tbsp) water or chicken stock
1 lb chicken breast, skinless and cut into pieces
salt and pepper to taste
parsley to garnish
Heat the oil in a pan and brown the chicken pieces for 3-4 minutes.
Add the garlic, lemon juice, cardamom, stock, and seasoning.
Bring it slowly to a boil, cover and cook gently for 15-20 minutes.
Turn the pieces often and add a little water if necessary.
When cooked, transfer to a warmed serving dish, cover with the sauce and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
TIP – The sauce sets to a lovely lemon colored jelly when cold.
Make it your recipe. Try using other chicken parts, skin and bone in for a richer jelly, coriander instead of parsley, try this recipe with a firm white fish like monkfish. Do not forget to adjust the water added and cooking time accordingly.
COOKING YOUR WAY and other resources
It is your turn, now. In India, the spice mix for the curry is prepared on the spot, maybe enough for a week; they do not use curry powder. Prepare your own curry mix, why not? Turmeric is used sometimes instead of saffron, the most expensive spice, though we did not get good results with this practice and we do not endorse it, therefore. A better compromise is adding a tiny amount of turmeric to enhance color, reducing the amount of saffron used without changing the flavor too much.