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| Happy turmeric plants at Muirkirk Farm |
Turmeric is an aromatic spice that has an important role in both Indian cooking and culture. It plays a part in giving the cuisine its distinctive flavor. The color that bleeds so easily also naturally imparts a bold bright yellow to the food it's cooked with. Here are the simple steps to make your own turmeric powder.
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| Harvested turmeric roots above. Some will be replanted, some will be used fresh, the rest of the batch will be dried and powdered. |
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| Boil roots for about 40 minutes until soft. I peeled the roots, but I realize now this is NOT a necessary step. Simply scrub dirt off roots. Turmeric WILL dye your fingers, cutting board, towel, etc, so accept that or wear gloves. |
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| Cut into pieces and allow to dry fully. I used a food dehydrator. |
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| Grind dried pieces to a fine powder. |
Part of a Hindu wedding ceremony is rubbing turmeric on the faces of the bride and groom. Looks great on dark, Indian skin. Pale westerner, not so much.
ReplyDeletehey,
ReplyDeleteis it necessary to boil it? Or can you just use the raw turmeric?
You can use raw turmeric. The flavor might be more subtle, so I would add near the end of cooking. Also, be careful b/c turmeric stains!
DeleteWhat do u grind it with?
Deletecoffee grinder, spice grinder... something like that. I used a microplane.
DeleteSo, why boil it, if it is not necessary? What does the boiling do to make it different?
ReplyDeleteI think boiling softens the fibers making it easier to blend.This is just my guess
Deletehttp://en.howtopedia.org/wiki/How_to_Process_Turmeric#Sweating
ReplyDeleteIs it really important to peel before boiling? it's alot especially when makinh a large batch
ReplyDeleteI think it depends on what you're going to do with it. Some people choose not to peel - Just scrub well just before doing what you're going to do with it. To process like above, you should be fine to just scrub and boil.
DeleteNutritional/ Medicinal value remains same after 40 min boil ?
ReplyDeleteHow long in a dehydrator for drying?
ReplyDeleteShouldn't take more than a few hours!
Delete