The bright yellow and fragrant turmeric is a quintessential spice in most Indian curries. It has a pungent and earthy odour with a hint of ginger in its flavour; it is, however, used to colour the dish than to enhance flavour.

Turmeric is a flowering plant of the ginger family, Zingiberaceae, the roots of which are used in cooking. It resembles galangal and ginger, but has an orange hue that has made it an important colouring agent in curries and many an Asian dish. Its use in medicines in Asia can be traced back to thousands of years – majorly used in Ayurveda, Siddha medicine, traditional Chinese medicine and Unani. It contains curcumin, a substance that has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, and  has been in use as a remedy for everyday digestive problems like heartburn and indigestion and even serious conditions. Interestingly though, it was first used as a dye, before it found a role in folk medicine.

While it is the powder form of turmeric that is generally used, the fresh variety is also used in some dishes. The dried variety is produced by boiling its rhizomes, which are then dried in a hot oven before grinding it to powder. It is used in many spice blends while cooking; it is also used in making Worcestershire sauce and in a variety of pickles and relishes. It can find reference in cuisines of Cambodia, Japan and Malaysia too.

Here is an easy way to use turmeric in everyday cooking:

Dal Tadka

Ingredients:

• 1 cup toor dal (split pigeon peas)
• 3/4tsp turmeric powder
• 2 black cardamom pods (optional)
• 2tbsp cooking oil
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 3 green cardamom pods
• 5 cloves
• 1 ½ tsp mustard seeds
• 1tsp cumin seeds
• 2 scallions – finely sliced
• 2–3 chillies – chopped  
• 2 cloves garlic – finely chopped
• 3/4tbsp ginger – finely chopped  
• 2 tomatoes – chopped
• Salt to taste
• 8 curry leaves
• 2 dry red chillies
• 1tbsp fresh cilantro – finely chopped 

Method:

1. Rinse the lentils well and cook it with 3 cups of water, salt and turmeric powder. If using cooker, let it cook for three whistles or until the lentils have softened and have started to break.
2. Switch off the heat and prepare the tempering. Gently heat the oil in a skillet and add the cinnamon sticks, green cardamom pods and cloves. Follow that by adding in the mustard and cumin seeds, and then the scallions, chillies, garlic, ginger, red chillies and curry leaves.
3. When onions have turned golden, stir in the tomatoes, blend it all well for a couple of minutes. Turn off the heat and pour the tadka into the dhal. Check the salt and sprinkle the chopped cilantro leaves on top.
4. Serve with roti or rice.

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