Cooking with Turmeric
EASY IDEAS:
-Add 1 tsp. of turmeric to each cup of rice while cooking (add to water at start)
-Use 1/4/ tsp. of turmeric in a small amount of olive oil when frying an egg.
-Mix turmeric into ground meat, potato, bean dishes before cooking.
-Curry powder contains a lot of turmeric and can be used in a variety of dishes.
-Visit your local East Indian Restaurant for more ideas and dishes for curry use.
-Add a little oil and a pinch of ground black pepper to each tsp. tumeric for better absorption.
BAKED TANDOORI CHICKEN
Marinate chicken pieces without skin overnight in a mix of:
10 T. yogurt (plain)
1 tsp. tumeric
1 tsp. Indian chili powder (or 1 tsp. cayenne and 1 tsp. paprika)
1/2 tsp. cumin (optional)
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. garlic, ground fresh or dried
2 tsp. ginger, ground fresh or dried
Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes (until yogurt absorbed into chicken and very thick sauce. Serve with basmati rice. Optional garnishes : Cilantro and lemon wedges.
EAST INDIAN LENTIL SOUP (DAL)
2 c. lentils (I prefer the red “Masoor” or yellow "Moong “ dals that you can get in most Indian Grocery Stores, however you can use any lentil you like. Don't be afraid to be adventurous lentils come in red, green, yellow, brown, and white! The red and yellow lentils take the least time to cook - only 20 minutes.)
6 c. water or enough water to cook (for some lentil varieties you may need up to 12 cups
2 tsp. Turmeric plus ground black pepper to taste
1 tsp. Chili - from the East Indian Store or substitute 1 tsp paprika and 1 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp. Cumin (optional)
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp. Salt
One onion, diced
1-2 medium tomatoes, diced
1-2 Tbsp. olive oil
fresh cilantro
1/2 lemon or 2-3 key limes
Cook lentils until soft. In a separate small skillet, heat the oil slightly and add the tumeric. Cook tumeric a few seconds until it turns a dark gold color. Then add onion, tomato, and optional spices: garam masala, cumin, chili - you can be conservative with these if you are timid and add more to the soup later. Pour contents from skillet into cooked lentils and add the fresh cilantro and squeeze lemon/lime to taste. Serve warm.
Serves 6.