Bitter, earthy, and spicy, turmeric is a bittersweet and pungent spice with mild aromatics. It is a root that comes fresh, dried or in powder form to use in recipes of your choice.
From curry to smoothies, turmeric can be served hot and cold to impart a unique flavor. Due to its bold and distinctive taste, the spice requires special pairings to maintain balance.
What to eat with turmeric? Turmeric is found in Asian, Caribbean, Indian, Indonesian, Middle Eastern, Moroccan, and Thai cuisine. Turmeric is typically added to curry as prime spice to make it richer and often blended with onions, garlic, and tomatoes.
Other than curry powder, sprinkle teaspoon of turmeric into creamy or vegetables soups, stews, roasted vegetables, squash, and bean dishes to add an earthy flavor.
It pairs wonderfully on dishes including paella, creamy sauces, pickles, and white meats. Add flavor and color to your bland dish with turmeric.
Many studies have reported that adding turmeric to your diet routine may prevent disease and promote overall health. But it can be intimidating to match the right flavor that goes well together.
So, how should this incredible spice be incorporated into dishes? Here is food pairing ideas for you to experiment with.
What should turmeric be eaten with?
There are multiple ways of eating turmeric. It can be taken raw, in powder form or freshly grated into the stew or soups.
Turmeric can be eaten with good fats like coconut oil, avocado, or olive oil to successfully absorb into the bloodstream. Often, turmeric is mixed with warm milk or plant based almond milk or coconut milk.
As a result, it brings out more color and mild flavor, used in soups, sprinkled in sautéed or braised vegetables and blended in tea, coffee, and smoothies.
- Legumes: beans, lentils, rice
- Vegetables: eggplant, fennel, garlic, paprika, potatoes, shallots, spinach, carrots
- Fruits: tamarind, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries
- Meat: beef, chicken, eggs, fish, lamb, pork, sausage, seafood, shellfish, shrimp
- Dairy: butter, yogurt, sour cream
- Cheese: cheddar, mozzarella, parmesan, cream cheese
- Spices: chili peppers, coriander, cumin, curry leaves, ginger, pepper, cloves
- Herbs: cilantro, lemongrass, parsley
- Condiments: chutneys, mustard
Can you sprinkle turmeric on food?
Yes, turmeric can be sprinkled on food. In fact, it is used to enrich taste, flavor and appearance by sprinkling turmeric on ingredients like eggs, rice, beans, salads, soups, stir-fry vegetables, or roasted potatoes.
When incorporating turmeric into food, your imagination is the limit.
Sprinkle a bit of turmeric on savory dishes or in green smoothies. It’s also an excellent addition to soup, especially cream or vegetable soups.
Furthermore, it can be added to squash, roasted vegetables or any stew needing flavor and color to the dish.
What flavor goes well with turmeric?
Although turmeric works well with many foods, it’s best used as a background to other flavors. The bitterness that comes with adding too much turmeric can be counteracted with the acidity of lemon or lime.
This earthy seasoning also works best with warm, strong spices such as ginger, garlic cloves and cinnamon. Pair it with coconut oil or olive oil to increase its intensity.
Don’t forget to add black pepper for that extra kick, and to further extract the bioavailability of the curcumin.
Here are classic flavor that goes well with turmeric:
- turmeric + cilantro + cumin + garlic + onion + paprika + parsley + peppers
- turmeric + coriander + cumin
- turmeric + jasmine rice + olive oil + sea salt + coconut milk
- turmeric + lentils + carrots + garlic + ginger + olive oil
- turmeric + pine nuts + tahini + orange + apple cider vinegar
Eat with Turmeric: Conclusion
To successfully ensure that turmeric is absorbed in food or soups, it should be combined with a liquid, for instance, a flavored turmeric shot, turmeric tea or smoothie.
Turmeric can be added to soups, and smoothies, with good fat such as coconut oil, avocado, or olive oil. Additionally, it can be taken with multiple roasted vegetables.
Turmeric absorbs excellently into the body and has a unique and excellent peppery flavor when combined with different foods. Simmer turmeric with coconut milk and honey to make a golden milk, a comforting and earthly beverage.
From Indian to Thai, there are many cuisines to serve in savory and sweet dishes. In general, turmeric is added to curry to enrich and deepen the flavor of the spice blend.
Not only curry, powder or fresh, turmeric root goes well with soups, stews, vegetable and lentil dishes. In addition, sprinkle some turmeric on pickles, paella, white meats, and creamy sauces.
When kept in balance, you can never go wrong with the slight taste of turmeric, flavor, and complementary appearance. Follow your curiosity and try new experiments with different recipes to see what works best for you