Turmeric is a bright orange colored spice which has been used in traditional medicines to treat a whole host of ailments. Now, there is increasing scientific evidence of its ability to heal the body heal, and to reduce swelling. Whether you’re wanting to up your intake of turmeric purely because you love the taste, or because you want to check out it’s health giving properties, here are three simple recipes which will see you getting more turmeric into your diet.
Turmeric Milk
Ingredients (to serve 1)
- 1 tablespoon of freshly ground turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon of sugar or maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
- 1/2 cup of milk (dairy or plant based)
- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
Instructions
- Place all of the ingredients into a pan and heat over a medium heat. Stir continously, don’t let the mixture boil.
- After 10 minutes, remove from the heat and pour into a mug.
Vegetable Curry
Ingredients (to serve 4)
- 4 large potatoes
- 2 onions
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 2 red chillies
- 1 thumb sized piece of fresh ginger
- 1 thumb sized piece of fresh turmeric
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon of garam masala spice mix
- 3 tablespoons of oil
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a pan and add the diced onions. Cook for 10 minutes, until they are starting to soften, before adding the sliced garlic, ginger, chillies and turmeric.
- Dice the potatoes and add them to the pan. Stir through the garam masala.
- Add the coconut milk and a little water to loosen the curry if needed, cook on a low heat for half an hour until all of the flavors have blended. Serve with rice or naan bread.
Ginger and Turmeric Cookies
Ingredients (to make 12)
- 1 cup of plain flour
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup of caster sugar
- 3/4 cup of unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder
- 2 tablespoons of milk
- 2 tablespoons of dark treacle or molasses
- 1 thumb sized piece of fresh ginger
- 1 thumb sized piece of fresh turmeric
Instructions
- Finely dice the ginger and turmeric.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Sift in the flour and baking powder and stir well.
- Whisk in the eggs and the milk, then stir in the treacle, ginger and turmeric.
- Knead into a dough, shape into cookies, and transfer to a greased and lined baking tray.
- Bake at 330°F for 15 minutes, until cooked through.
- Let the cookies cool completely on a cooling rack.
Whether or not you’re convinced by the health claims linked with turmeric, this colorful spice makes a wonderful flavor addition to sweet and savory dishes, so why not stock up in your kitchen?
