Storage
Now that you have raw turmeric, how to keep it fresh as long as possible?
Refrigerator
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Wash well. Scrub the turmeric root using a brush or your fingers, washing away dirt, you’ll want to eliminate all debris. Note that you don’t have to remove the skin if its properly washed, however, you can remove it before use similarly to ginger by peeling.
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Keep completely dry. Use a paper towel to pat the turmeric root dry. The big thing to watch out for with fresh turmeric is mold growth. The best way to avoid this is to ensure they’re completely dry before refrigerating.
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Store in a brown paper bag. This works well at absorbing excess moisture, and avoiding mold growth on the turmeric. If you don’t have a brown paper bag, then simply wrap the root in a paper towel and store in a plastic bag. The paper towel will also soak up extra humidity.
Freezer
It will last for up to two weeks in the refrigerator, but after that you can freeze your remaining Turmeric. It is recommended to cut it into cubes and portion it out so that you can defrost only what you need at one time. Store in a freezer bag, wrapped in a paper towel and remove any excess air. It will last up to six months.
How to make your own powder at home
Turmeric Powder from Raw Turmeric
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Use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin off the turmeric root. This will give you a finer powder, however, it is ok to leave the skin on as it doesn't effect the flavor and is also nutritious.
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Cut the root into uniform, thin slices. This will help it dry more quickly and evenly.
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Arrange the slices on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Spread evenly and avoid overlap.
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Bake in the oven at 200 degrees F for 2 hours.
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Add the slices to a food processor or grinder and grind into a fine powder. Please note that this may stain your equipment.
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Place in a spice jar and store in a cool, dark cupboard. Powders can last as long as they are air tight and dry. For the best flavor it is recommended to use within 1 year.
Be sure to wear gloves when handling turmeric root, in order not to stain the skin. For surfaces, lemon helps to remove stains.
Why Choose Raw?
Unfortunately, when purchased in powder
form, often times turmeric is a spice that is easily adulterated, and mixed with additives and other ingredients that are harmful to the body or lesser in nutrients.
Here at Ease Land Organic Farm, we can assure the quality of our Turmeric. Grown under our care and supervision, we grow our produce without any pesticides or herbicides. When sold raw it can be received in its original state, untouched, and full of the beneficial nutrients.
When buying turmeric powder it is important to research and choose carefully in order to ensure it's authenticity
Test Your Turmeric Powder At Home
Run a simple test of your powdered turmeric at home to check for adulteration
1. Smell test
Good turmeric will have an earthy aroma that turmeric users will recognize. While adulterated turmeric will not have a distinct smell and maybe mixed with an adulterant like talc or corn flower or poor quality turmeric.
2.Palm test
Put a pinch of turmeric powder on the palm of your left hand. With your right thumb rub the powder for a few seconds. The good powder will stick to your palm, leaving a deep bright orange tint on it. Now tilt your left palm sideways perpendicular to the ground. Much of the powder will remain stuck on your palm. If more of it falls it may have been mixed with other ingredients like chalk.
3. Water test:
At home, you can take a level teaspoon of turmeric powder and add it to a glass of lukewarm water, without stirring. Let it stand for about 15-20 minutes to settle down. If the turmeric is genuine it will settle at the bottom and the water will be clear. But if there are foreign ingredients the water will cloud.
Deeper testing can be done in a lab, you can do a chemical test on the turmeric powder to check for commonly used adulterants. These will involve using water, acids and the microscope.
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Test for Metanil Yellow: Metanil yellow, a synthetic dye which is one of the most common adulterants of turmeric powder. To test for Metanil yellow, take a pinch of turmeric powder in a test tube and add a few drops of concentrated hydrochloric acid to it. The color will turn pink. When adding water the pink color disappears it means there is Metanil Yellow. This is a carcinogenic and toxic substance.
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Test for Yellow lead salts: Take a pinch of turmeric powder in a test tube. Add a few drops of concentrated hydrochloric acid to it. If the color turns magenta it shows adulteration with yellow oxides of lead. It can cause cancer.
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Test for Chalk Powder: Take a teaspoon of turmeric powder in a test tube or beaker. Add a few drops of water followed by a few drops of concentrated hydrochloric acid. If there is effervescence it means chalk powder is present. It can cause indigestion.
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Test for Aniline Dyes: Take a teaspoon of turmeric powder and add a few drops of water to it. Then add 5 ml of methylated spirit. If the yellow color disappears it means aniline dye is present. Aniline is an oily liquid used for manufacturing aniline dyes which can cause cancer.
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Test for Starch: Starches can be of rice, maize, tapioca or cassava. To test the presence of starch a sample of turmeric needs to be placed under a microscope. Turmeric particles will appear as yellow, angular and bigger. Starch particles are pale white, rounded and smaller. Starches can cause stomach upset.