Organic Fairtrade Turmeric Powder Standard 40g Steenbergs details and description

Steenbergs Organic Fairtrade Turmeric comes from an organic and Fairtrade co-operative in the Kandy region of Sri Lanka.  Turmeric is a rhizome that is grown as an annual and looks similar to ginger and galangal.  Powdered organic Fairtrade turmeric is bright yellow and has a distinct earthy aroma and a pleasing, sharp, bitter, spicy and lingering depth of flavour.  Organic Fairtrade turmeric powder is an essential ingredient for Indian and South East Asian cuisine.   Steenbergs was the first company in the UK to offer spices carrying the Fairtrade mark and continue to innovate and expand the range. Steenbergs is based in rural North Yorkshire, just north of the cathedral city of Ripon.

Turmeric is a tropical rhizome, Curcuma longa, that has long, flat green leaves that grow from the root system - think of bearded lilies with their rhizomes and flattish green leaves. Turmeric's leaves grow to about 1m high (3ft). Turmeric rhizomes are similar to ginger in appearance and grow 5-8cm long (2-3.25 inches), although they are rounder in cross-section, reaching 1.5cm in thickness (0.5 inch). The centre of the root is a deep orange-yellow colour where ginger is pale beige - see Axel's photo at Facebook. To process, the turmeric rhizomes are lifted, boiled for one hour to fix the colours, dried for 10-15 days then cleaned (called polishing) before being crushed and ground. Turmeric powder is a bright yellow, although it can be more orange-yellow and almost brown, with a distinctive earthyand citrussy aroma and warm, floral, spicy and woody flavour that is surprisingly delicious; underneath all the flavours is a deep and sexy musky note. The colour of turmeric comes from its natural curcumin colouration. for more information on turmeric, try Gernot Katzer's Spice Pages and/or Wikipedia.

Turmeric is generally underused in cooking as it is usually employed for its natural yellow colours. However, it is also a key component in many blends and recipes from curry powders through to chermoula. Turmeric is lovely in rice dishes, but please do not use as an alternative to saffron as they are both different flavours and colours. Classic uses for for turmeric are in curries (or Chicken Tikka Masala) or Kuwaiti fish stew or chermoula. For more inspiration, dig into Allrecipes and the BBC website.

Steenbergs organic Fairtrade turmeric is part of the Steenbergs range of over 400 organic spices, organic peppers, organic seasoning blends, organic herbs and organic flavoured sugars. For your local stockist follow the link, or ring us on 01765 640 088 or email to enquiries@steenbergs.co.uk.