Tumeric or Luyang Dilaw for Cooking and Dyeing

Tumeric or Luyang Dilaw

San Vicente Botanical Garden

San Vicente, Ilocos Sur

Photos by Dr Abe V Rotor

 

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) belongs to the ginger family, Zingiberaceae.  It is perennial, rhizomatous, herbaceous native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. The rhizomes are used fresh or boiled in water and dried, after which they are ground into a deep orange-yellow powder commonly used as a coloring and flavoring agent in many Asian cuisines, especially for curries*, as well as for dyeing, characteristics imparted by the principal turmeric constituent, curcumin. Turmeric powder has a warm, bitter, black pepper-like flavor and earthy, mustard-like aroma.

*Turmeric and curry powder are different spices, but both are commonly used in South Asian and Indian cooking. Turmeric is a single ingredient, while curry powder is a blend of multiple spices combined. ~