Color

Some ingredients color food, like a dye. Turmeric adds a yellow tinge to food, such as in the Sweet Potato Bebinca, while saffron strands contribute a golden-orange color, as in the Jaggery Ice Cream. Dried kokum fruit, annatto, and beets add reddish or deep pink tones. Kashmiri chile adds a deep red color characteristic of many Indian dishes, such as curries and tandoori fish. And most fresh herbs, when puréed, will enhance a dish with their green pigments.