How to make turmeric powder at home | Turmeric Powder Recipe

Turmeric Powder is one of the common spices used everyday in almost all Indian cooking. It is made by drying turmeric roots under sun and then grinding them into a fine powder. The color comes out bright yellow and it quickly adds flavor, smell and health factor to any dish. Turmeric Powder is a handy spice used in the making of gravies, curries, sides, variety rice and non veg dishes. Homemade Turmeric Powder is a flavorful ingredient that can be easily made fresh at home and without preservatives.

I always feel homemade turmeric powder is more fresh compared to store bought ones which sometimes may have preservatives or even artificial coloring. Making it at home takes little bit of time and patience but the result is fully worth it. You get pure turmeric with no mixing and it stays good for many months.

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About Turmeric Powder

Turmeric powder, called as manjal thool in Tamil, is used in almost all Indian dishes – curries, gravies, sabzis, chutneys, rice dishes etc. It is not only for taste but also for medicinal value. Traditionally turmeric is known for healing wounds, improving digestion and also for boosting immunity naturally.

Homemade Turmeric Powder is prepared by drying turmeric roots and grinding them into fine powder. In villages people usually take it to flour mills where it comes out super smooth, but these days we can also make in smaller batches at home if we have a powerful mixer. The process is very simple just good quality turmeric roots and proper sunlight for drying.

This homemade turmeric powder is very smooth and has fine texture with a strong fragrance. The flavor is earthy, warm and slightly bitter but in a good way. It nicely blends with other spices in cooking. Just a small pinch of turmeric is enough to give that brightness and color to a full dish.

I usually prepare a small jar once in few months. It feels very good to know the powder is clean and free from chemicals. Sometimes I even use it for turmeric milk especially when someone at home is having cold or sore throat.

Turmeric Powder Video

Turmeric Powder Ingredients

• Turmeric (virali manjal) – I have used dried roots which are very hard. When ground, they give fine yellow powder with strong flavor. Choose fresh looking ones, not too shrunk or very old. Good quality gives best taste and color.

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How to make Turmeric Powder Step by Step

1.Buy dried turmeric like this.

2. Add few at a time to a hand mortar and pestle.

3.Using a hand mortar and pestle roughly break them. This step is done to make the mixer work easier else the blades may not be able to grind it fine.

4.Repeat to finish.

5.Keep it under sun for a day so that it turns crisp.

6.Transfer to mixer jar(make sure your mixer is capable of handling such hard items).

7.Grind it to a fine powder. In between mix with spoon and grind. Do not grind at a stretch to avoid heating.

8.It is grind fine now.

9.Using a big holed sieve, sieve it once and discard the speck.

10. Transfer to a plate, cool down then store.

Sore in a clean dry jar.

Expert Tips

• Breaking turmeric – I used a hand mortar and pestle to break the roots into small pieces. This help mixer grind better. If pieces are too big, mixer blade may get stuck.
• Sun drying – I usually keep turmeric pieces under strong sunlight for one full day. It reduces moisture and makes grinding more easy. If not dried well, powder can spoil fast.
• Grinding – Make sure your mixer grinder is strong. Grind in short intervals, don’t run it nonstop, else the jar gets very hot and powder will also loose the freshness.
• Sieving – After grinding, I always sieve with a slightly big holed sieve. This remove any coarse bits. You can regrind those specks again if you want.
• Storage – Cool the powder fully before storing. I keep in airtight glass jar. It stay good for 3 months outside and up to 6 months if kept in fridge.

Serving and Storage

Turmeric powder can be used in almost every Indian recipe – gravies, curries, chutneys, rice dishes and even meat recipes. You can also use a pinch in turmeric milk or golden milk. Store the powder in an airtight container away from moisture. If making big quantity, you can even refrigerate and take in small jars for daily use.

It keeps well in room temperature for 3 months and for about 2 years in freezer.

FAQS

1.Can I make turmeric powder without sun drying?

You can try roasting the pieces lightly in a kadai instead of drying, but sun drying is the best method.

2.My mixer is not strong, what to do?

Better to take the dried pieces to a flour mill. They grind it very fine without heating.

3.How to know turmeric is dried well?

When you you touch and see it will be crisp and dry that way you will know it is dried well.

4.Can I store for more than 6 months?

Yes if you keep in fridge in airtight container, but freshness is best within 6 months. In freezer it keeps well even for more than a year.

5.Is homemade turmeric powder really better?

Yes, because you know it is pure without mixing and the aroma is much stronger than packed ones.

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