Frequently Asked Questions About Turmeric
Do you grow your own turmeric?
Yes. Turmeric is a tropical rhizome, but it does well here in Zone 8b if you get it in the ground early and give it a long warm season. We grow ours in our fields in Opp, Alabama, dig it in the fall, and wash, slice, and dry it here. Most turmeric sold in this country is grown in India.
When do you dig turmeric?
Late fall, after the tops die back from the first cold, which around here usually means October or November. The rhizome puts on most of its size in the last stretch of warm weather, so digging early costs you yield. We wash it, slice it thin, and dry it low the same week we pull it out of the ground.
What is the difference between dried turmeric root, powder, and capsules?
Dried root is sliced rhizome. You simmer it for tea or grate it into a dish, and it keeps longer than anything ground. Powder is that same root milled fine, which is what most cooking calls for. Capsules are powder in a shell, for people who want turmeric without the flavor or the yellow fingers.
Why is turmeric usually paired with black pepper?
Black pepper contains piperine, and the pairing is old kitchen practice across South Asian cooking, from long before anyone measured why. Fat is part of it too, which is why turmeric so often goes into oil, ghee, or coconut milk rather than plain water. Our turmeric and black pepper capsule follows that pairing, and golden milk is the same idea in a cup.
How do you cook with turmeric?
We put it in rice, in eggs, in lentils, in soup, and in anything that starts with onions and oil in the pan. A quarter teaspoon colors a whole pot. Bloom it in fat over low heat before you add liquid and it tastes rounder and less raw. Golden milk is turmeric simmered in milk with pepper and a little sweetener.
Why does turmeric stain everything?
Curcumin is the pigment, and it is a dye as much as a spice. It will color a wooden spoon, a countertop, a shirt, and your fingers, and some of that does not come out. We use a metal or glass spoon and wipe spills right away. Sunlight will fade a fresh stain on fabric better than scrubbing will.
These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
