Turmeric powder

Ground turmeric from Altes Gewürzamt from India

Ground turmeric from Altes Gewürzamt is dried and ground turmeric root from India, earthy in taste and bright yellow in color. It gives rice, curry sauces, and vegetable stir-fries their golden hue and a finely bitter foundation.

Ground turmeric is the turmeric root from the range of the Altes Gewürzamt in Klingenberg am Main, harvested and dried in India. It is known as turmeric in English; botanically, it belongs to the ginger family, and its rhizome is the part that ends up in the tin.

Earthy, warm, and bright yellow

The aroma from the green tin is earthy and warm, with a slightly resinous note, and it is never overpowering.

Only once in the pot does turmeric reveal its finely bitter side and the earthy depth that provides the base note for many curry blends. It is the workhorse of the spice kitchen because it provides both color and flavor in one go while remaining modestly in the background. It should still be used sparingly, however, because its bitterness can overwhelm everything else if too much is used.

By the way, the comparison to saffron only holds true when it comes to the color. Both turn a dish golden, but worlds lie between the sweet, hay-like stigma and this earthy root in terms of taste.

In golden rice and curry sauce

Its performance begins in hot fat, and this is the most important step of all.

The root's pigment dissolves in fat, not water, which is why you should sauté the powder in oil or butter for two minutes before adding broth, coconut milk, or tomatoes. The sooner it hits the hot fat, the rounder the flavor will be, and the less the bitter note will linger in the finished dish.

A pinch is enough for golden rice, which goes equally well with chicken, fish, and lentils. A simple vegetable soup is also colored golden and immediately tastes fuller, and the root has always been a staple in pickled vegetables and mustard sauce. Don't be surprised by yellow fingers and wooden spoons, as it stains everything it touches.

From rhizome to powder

Among many whole spices, turmeric is a justified exception, and that is due to how it is processed.

India grows the largest share of the world's supply, and for Altes Gewürzamt, the product comes from there. The rhizome matures in the ground for eight to ten months and is harvested in winter when the foliage yellows.

Freshly dug up, the tubers look like small, gnarled ginger fingers and glow a vibrant orange inside. They are then boiled or steamed so that the color distributes evenly, sun-dried for a good two weeks, and polished.

At the end of this procedure, the root is rock-hard and cannot be touched by any kitchen grater. That is why it arrives on the shelf already ground, and that is why the tin belongs in a dark place, as light bleaches the yellow, and with the color goes the potency.

Selected at Altes Gewürzamt

The more intense the yellow, the fresher and more aromatic the root, and that is exactly what Altes Gewürzamt looks for when purchasing. It is bottled pure and without additives in Klingenberg am Main.

How turmeric works in a blend can be seen in Curry Kashmir; other single spices can be found in the individual spices and herbs section and in the rest of the Altes Gewürzamt range.