Turmeric magic

If I told you that I am going to tell you something about the rhizomatous herbaceous perennial plant of the ginger family, Zingiberaceae, you would be confused and not understand what I am talking about. But if I say that the boiled, dried and ground version of this deep orange powder is found in most of the kitchens of the world, you will be surprised and rush to your kitchen to solve the mystery. 

The minute you open your spice box, the riddle would be unravelled, as turmeric, which has been used for thousands of years as the main ingredient for making curries, will be revealed, in all its golden glory. Turmeric, also called curcuma aromatica, is popularly referred to as ‘haldi’ in my home country India and is commonly believed to cure all the diseases known to mankind. Believe me, it’s true. 

Let me list some of them: arthritis, joint pain, stomach ache, ulcerative colitis, bypass surgery, jaundice, liver problems, irritable bowel syndrome, gallbladder disorders, high cholesterol, bronchitis, headaches, lung infections, Alzheimer’s disease, tuberculosis, auto immune disorders, sprain, bruises, leech bites, and so on and so forth. The catalogue is never-ending and even includes gum disease. 

People who think that a pinch of this orange powder that is added to give the correct shade to the gravies, is its only use, are terribly mistaken because there are a host of natural chemicals inherently found in turmeric that help in reducing inflammation and healing ailments. Therefore, after Godly intervention, if you need to revere anything, it should be the humble “haldi” because other than life and death, it restores everything in between. Or so it is said. 

A native to Southern India and Indonesia, where it has been harvested for more than 5,000 years, the Arab traders introduced it into Europe in the 13th century. It has only recently become popular in Western cultures. Much of its current recognition is owed to the fresh research that has highlighted its therapeutic properties. The leading commercial producers of turmeric include India, Indonesia, China, the Philippines, Taiwan, Haiti and Jamaica. Traditionally it is called Indian saffron because of its deep yellow-orange colour, which is similar to that of the prized saffron. 

Emerging from an exhausting calisthenics exercise class at my gym the other morning, I was persuaded by my friends to go for a golden milk trial at the nearby cafeteria. Also called the ‘new workout recovery drink’ the bartender made the concoction in front of us by adding one cup of unsweetened coconut milk, half teaspoon each of ground turmeric and ground ginger, a pinch of cardamom powder, a teaspoon of honey and after shaking it for two minutes, strained it into tall glasses and put some ice cubes into the mix. 

I watched the entire process with indifference because my sore muscles were crying for attention and all I wanted to do was rush home and put my feet up and not move even an inch for the rest of the day. 

But the very first tentative sip of the golden milk shot like shockwaves through my system. By the time I reached the midway mark I felt a surge of renewed energy in my tired body and by the end of it I felt completely rejuvenated. 

“The pain in my shoulders has disappeared,” exclaimed my friend. 

“Should we try more?” I asked. 

“Another step aerobics class?” she was horrified. 

“Another shot of magic milk,” I smiled.