Turmeric is a spice best known for its use in curries and other Indian cuisine. It also serves as a nontoxic natural food coloring and a versatile medicine employed in India, China and other Eastern countries against a variety of illnesses and conditions. In recent years, Western medicine has taken an interest in turmeric's healing properties.
The Turmeric Plant
Turmeric (scientific name Curcuma longa) is a member of the ginger family (Zingiberaceae). Like ginger, turmeric has a thick, horizontal underground stem, or rhizome, that is often miscalled a root.
Appearance
Turmeric rhizomes look something like slim fingers of ginger from the outside. Inside, the flesh ranges from bright yellow to carrot-orange.
Natural Range
and related species grow naturally throughout high-rainfall areas of South and Southeast Asia and Asia. India is the world's largest producer of turmeric.
Other Producers
Growers have raised turmeric successfully in other hot, humid regions, including Central and South America, East and West Africa and the Caribbean islands.
Spice Production
After harvesting and washing, turmeric rhizomes are typically boiled in a slightly alkaline solution of water with sodium bicarbonate or sodium carbonate. After a drying period of several days to a few weeks, the rhizomes are ground into powder.
Tags: Curcuma longa