Turmeric adds flavor and color

Turmeric plays a dual role in a Moroccan-inspired carrot salad, above, while producing a highlighter-yellow hue in a panna cotta, below. ( Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times photos )

Turmeric, a rhizome related to ginger, is a spice used in its grated and powdered forms. It is a key ingredient in curry.

If you’ve ever eaten curry, and, really, who hasn’t, you’ve tasted turmeric. Turmeric is the spice that gives curry pastes and powders that vibrant golden hue. Long popular in India, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and North Africa, these days turmeric is having a golden moment. Maybe you’ve seen uber-fit yoga moms sipping school-bus yellow juice. Or your dad takes turmeric supplements for his memory. And some cakes and muffins at your favorite hipster bakery may have turned strikingly yellow.

Turmeric is a rhizome, which means it has rootlike stems that grow underground. It’s related to the ginger plant, and like ginger, turmeric can be eaten fresh or in powdered form. Powdered turmeric is available in most spice aisles, and these days fresh turmeric is often found in farmers markets and produce sections.

Powdered turmeric is ground from boiled and kiln-dried rhizomes. This process changes turmeric’s flavor from something akin to a complex gingery carrot to a bolder, slightly musty, peppery spice. While similar, dried turmeric and fresh turmeric have different cooking applications, not unlike that of fresh and ground ginger.

In Moroccan cuisine, turmeric is powdered. In a salad inspired by the North African country, carrots, chickpeas, red cabbage and a few grains of bulgur are tossed in a lemony-turmeric vinaigrette. The colorful crunchy mix makes a light lunch or a vegetarian dinner when topped with crumbled feta, but it’s also great with grilled fish or lamb.

Fresh turmeric imparts a delicate flavor and nearly florescent tinge to custards and creams. Try making silky-smooth, highlighter-yellow panna cotta. The unexpected spice adds an exotic hue and flavor to this often-rather-bland Italian dessert.

There are other ways to add turmeric to your daily regimen. Add a 1-inch chunk of fresh turmeric to your favorite smoothie; pineapple, romaine lettuce, orange juice and fresh turmeric make a particularly refreshing and bright blend. On cold days, steep fresh grated turmeric in your favorite milk until it’s saffron-colored, and sweeten the soothing, earthy potion with honey. When baking, grated turmeric adds gentle spice and bold color to pound cake and ginger scones.

Jeanne Kelley is a freelance writer.