Turmeric

Turmeric (kurkum) is a bright yellow spice made from the ground dried rootlike part of a plant of the ginger family. It has been used in Mesopotamia ever since ancient times, and was recognized as a spice and medicine. In Akkadian, it was called ‘kurkanu.’

Marco Polo’s comment when he saw it on his travels to China was that it is ‘a fruit that resembles saffron; though it is actually nothing of the sort, it is quite as good as saffron for practical purposes’ (Norman). Apparently, it was he who set the tone for its use as a cheap substitute for saffron. It is lightly aromatic and smells of fresh orange and ginger. In taste, it is pungent and a little peppery, musky, and bitter, so it is to be used sparingly. Like curry powder, it is traditionally cooked in a little oil with onion or meat, for instance, before mixing it with other ingredients. Thus, it becomes more aromatic and loses its bitter taste.