Haldi (turmeric). MGP / Dollar Photo Club
Haldi comes from the rhizomes (finger-like structures) of the plant Curcuma longa, which is also related to the ginger family. One teaspoon of haldi has only 8 calories, but contains 4 per cent of the daily required intake for iron, with small amounts of fibre and magnesium.
Curcumin is the active ingredient of haldi, which has been researched for its medicinal properties in both Eastern and now Western cultures – particularly for its effectiveness against chronic diseases such as several types of cancer, cardiovascular diseases and arthritis. An article in the British Journal of Nutrition published in 2010 says that “curcumin holds promise as a disease-modifying and chemo-preventive agent,” although much more research and evidence is required.
Three things to do with haldi
- Sprinkle it on all your curries for authentic south Asian flavour and colour.
- Boil it: Half a teaspoon of haldi in warm milk, sweetened with a touch of honey, is a traditional bedtime tonic that mothers often give to children who are ill.
- Pickle it: In a small pan, add some oil, salt, mustard seeds, chillies and juice of fresh lemon. Add this mixture to a ¼ cup of fresh sliced haldi and ginger roots and serve as a pickle with your favourite rice dish or with roti.
Top tip
Try looking for fresh haldi in your local Indian grocery store. You may realise that once you've tasted it fresh, you'll prefer using it over the dry powder.
Try these recipes
References
- United States Department of Agriculture. Spices, turmeric, ground. National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 26
- Epstein, J. et al. Curcumin as a therapeutic agent: the evidence from in vitro, animal and human studies. British journal of nutrition (2010). 103(11), 1545-1557.
