Turmeric
The spice that turns everything gold. Turmeric powder is earthy and faintly bitter, and it is the reason curry looks the way it does.
What It Is
Turmeric is a root, related to ginger, grown across South and Southeast Asia. When dried and ground, it becomes the deep orange-yellow powder cooks have used for thousands of years to color and season rice, soups, braises, and spice blends. The flavor is warm and slightly bitter with a faint mustard-like edge. It is never sharp or loud.
It has a long history in Indian, Persian, and Southeast Asian cooking, and lately it shows up in everything from scrambled eggs to salad dressings. A pinch disappears into a dish and leaves behind color and a low, grounding note that is hard to name but easy to miss when it is gone.
What To Do
Start with a quarter teaspoon. It goes into curries and lentil dishes early, bloomed in a little oil or butter before the other ingredients join the pan. Stir it into rice cooking water, whisk it into a marinade, or shake it into scrambled eggs. It pairs well with cumin, black pepper, ginger, and garlic.
For a simple golden milk, whisk a quarter teaspoon into warm milk of choice with a pinch of black pepper and a little honey. Store turmeric powder away from light and heat, and note that it will stain cloth, cutting boards, and light-colored containers.
