5 Ideas for Cooking with Turmeric

A plant from the ginger family, turmeric has a long history of being used for medicinal purposes as well as cooking. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, the spice may fight inflammation and aid digestion. What’s certain is that turmeric adds flavor and color to dishes like Indian-style curry. As you’re learning to cook, you can try using this distinctive spice in a variety of other foods as well. Here are some ideas for you to try:

1. Spice up vegetarian dishes
Turmeric can be your secret weapon for preparing vegetarian dishes that stand out. It’s especially great with roasted vegetables, and Bobby Flay offered directions for oven-roasted cauliflower that feature both turmeric and ginger. Begin by mixing those spices with vegetable oil, black mustard seeds and diced jalapenos.

Cut a head of cauliflower into florets and set it in a baking dish. Toss the cauliflower with the oil mixture and sprinkle on some salt. Then, place the dish in an oven set to 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 to 25 minutes. When the florets are golden brown and tender, they are ready to serve.

2. Kick your stir fry up a notch
Make your weeknight dinners more interesting by mixing turmeric into your stir fry. Serious Eats suggested a recipe including shiitake mushrooms, vermicelli pasta, garlic, scallions, spinach and dill. If you plan ahead, you can achieve even better results by allowing the noodles to soak in the various flavors overnight.

Turmeric makes an excellent addition to stir fry.Turmeric makes an excellent addition to stir fry.

3. Add flavor to a chicken dinner
Spice and poultry make a great combination, and Jamie Oliver advised using turmeric accordingly. His marinade for seared chicken breast combines turmeric with oregano, sea salt, black pepper and olive oil. During cooking, you’ll also add in a couple roasted red peppers. The dish is tied together by couscous – flavored with mint leaves and lemon juice –  and hummus for a tasty and satisfying meal.

4 Enjoy an exceptional omelet
A little added flavor and color can go a long way to turn a conventional omelet into a breakfast worth waking up for. Cooking Light had some ideas for incorporating the spice into a four-egg omelet. You’ll need olive oil, kosher salt, brown mustard seeds, green onions and black pepper. If you like, you can also use turmeric in a tofu scramble for a flavorful vegetarian breakfast.

5. Drink it up
Turmeric can also be part of a delicious beverage. One common choice is to blend the spice into a smoothie. Bon Appetit’s tropical smoothie instructions also call for a carrot, a blood or navel orange, mango, coconut water, ginger, cayenne pepper, salt and hemp seeds.

If you’d prefer a warm drink, The Kitchn has you covered. For a soothing cup of tea, simmer ground ginger and turmeric in water for about 10 minutes. Stir in a few drops of milk before straining the tea into a cup. Then, just sweeten with maple syrup or honey and enjoy.

Turmeric is great in curry, but there are plenty of other uses for this versatile spice. Finding new and exciting ways to incorporate interesting taste combinations is one of the most important skills you can learn from taking online culinary courses.

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