Spice

Turmeric, known as ‘kurkum’ in Arabic, is widely used in Middle Eastern cooking and adds both flavour and vividness to meat, rice and vegetable dishes. It is an unassuming root that gives more than a splash of colour when ground and added to Galilean food.

Turmeric, a bright yellow relative of ginger, has been used for over four thousand years mainly to fragrance food, but it was also, and still is today, used by alternative therapists to treat a wide variety of ailments. The compound curcumin is responsible for not only the yellow hue, but also for turmeric’s anti-inflammatory properties. Research suggests that it can assist in the delay of type 2 diabetes, heart attacks and, most recently, cancer. A magnificent aromatic spice, turmeric is found in every spice market in the Galilee, and is added to many dishes for its subtle, slightly bitter taste.