A Cautionary Note

Fresh turmeric is a natural dye. I always wear disposable gloves when working with it to keep my fingers from being stained yellow. Look for the gloves at a pharmacy or in a supermarket in the aisle with bandages and first-aid supplies. Turmeric will also stain countertops and cutting boards. But if you clean up quickly and use a diluted bleach solution, the golden yellow dye will fade almost completely away. If not, leave your cutting board in a sunny spot. The dye is not lightproof and will fade away when left in the sun for an hour or so.