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Ingredient

Turmeric

Spices, Herbs and Seasonings

Turmeric is a rhizome spice from a plant in the ginger family, native to South Asia and cultivated in India for millennia, with evidence of its use appearing in the archaeology of the Indus Valley Civilization. It is the source of curcumin, the compound responsible for turmeric's characteristic deep yellow-orange color, and has long been used in South Asian cooking, in Ayurvedic medicine, and in religious and ceremonial contexts including Hindu ritual. Turmeric spread along historic trade routes to Southeast Asia, the Middle East and eventually the wider world, and remains a foundational spice in Indian cuisine, most visibly as a base ingredient of curry powder blends. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Facts
Earliest Documented Use, From (Year)
from 2000 BCE 1
Archaeological evidence from the Indus Valley Civilization places turmeric use at roughly 2000 BCE.
Earliest Documented Use, To (Year)
to 1001 BCE 1
Paired with the existing -2000 start year to bracket the second millennium BCE, the period the Megiddo find is dated to; the existing start-year citation was found mismatched (pointed at a growing-conditions sentence, not a date) and is corrected by the source element above rather than by changing the -2000 value itself, which this label cannot overwrite through the queue.
Origin Region
South Asia (India) 1
Connections

Used By

Abgoosht, Dishes
Source Abgoosht (Wikipedia)
Aloo Gobi, Dishes
Source Aloo Gobi (Wikipedia)
Ayam goreng, Dishes
Source Ayam goreng (Wikipedia)
Banh Xeo, Dishes
Source Banh xeo, Wikipedia
Curry, Dishes
Dal, Dishes
Dal Bhat, Dishes
Source Dal bhat (Wikipedia)
Gulai, Dishes
Source Gulai (Wikipedia)
Indian Cuisine, Cuisines

Turmeric is foundational to Indian curry powder blends and to Ayurvedic and ceremonial use.

Source Turmeric (Wikipedia)
Mirza ghassemi, Dishes
Source Mirza ghassemi (Wikipedia)
Nasi kuning, Dishes
Source Nasi kuning (Wikipedia)
Rendang, Dishes
Source Rendang (Wikipedia)
Shorshe Ilish, Dishes
Source Shorshe ilish - Wikipedia
Shukto, Dishes
Source Shukto - Wikipedia
Soto, Dishes
Source Soto (Wikipedia)
Soto ayam, Dishes
Source Soto ayam (Wikipedia)
Sources
1. Turmeric (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia
  • History section
    Turmeric was found in Farmana, dating to between 2600 and 2200 BCE, and in a merchant's tomb in Megiddo, Israel, dating from the second millennium BCE.
  • Used By: Indian Cuisine
View the Source
Soto (Wikipedia)
WikipediaUsed By: Soto, History section, Indian-influence clause
Quote, Used By: Soto, History section, Indian-influence clause
the use of turmeric suggests Indian influence.
View the Source
Rendang (Wikipedia)
WikipediaUsed By: Rendang, Infobox main_ingredient field: [[beef]] or [[chicken]], [[chili pepper]], [[turmeric]], and [[coconut milk]]View the Source
Banh xeo, Wikipedia
Used By: Banh Xeo, Infobox main_ingredient field: Rice flour, water, [[turmeric]] powderView the Source
Aloo Gobi (Wikipedia)
Used By: Aloo Gobi, Infobox main_ingredient field: [[Potato]]es, [[cauliflower]], [[List of Indian spices|Indian spices]] ([[turmeric]])View the Source
Shorshe ilish - Wikipedia
Used By: Shorshe Ilish, Infobox main_ingredient field: [[Hilsa]], [[Mustard (condiment)|mustard]] paste, [[turmeric]], common saltView the Source
Abgoosht (Wikipedia)
WikipediaUsed By: Abgoosht, Infobox main_ingredient field: [[Lamb (food)|lamb]], [[chickpea]]s, [[common bean|white beans]], [[onion]], [[potato]]es, and [[tomato]]es, [[turmeric]], and [[dried lime]]View the Source
Ayam goreng (Wikipedia)
Used By: Ayam goreng, Infobox main_ingredient field: [[chicken (food)|Chicken]], [[turmeric]], garlic, [[shallots]] and other spices [[deep fried]] in [[coconut oil]]View the Source
Nasi kuning (Wikipedia)
Used By: Nasi kuning, Infobox main_ingredient field: Rice cooked in [[turmeric]] surrounded with side dishesView the Source
Mirza ghassemi (Wikipedia)
Used By: Mirza ghassemi, Infobox main_ingredient field: [[Eggplant|Aubergine (eggplant)]], [[garlic]], [[tomato]], [[turmeric]], oil or butter, salt, pepper, [[Egg (food)|eggs]]View the Source
Shukto - Wikipedia
Used By: Shukto, Infobox food/dish main_ingredient fieldView the Source
Dal bhat (Wikipedia)
Used By: Dal Bhat, Infobox food/dish main_ingredient fieldView the Source
Soto ayam (Wikipedia)
Used By: Soto ayam, Infobox food/dish main_ingredient fieldView the Source
Gulai (Wikipedia)
Used By: Gulai, Infobox food/dish main_ingredient fieldView the Source
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