Cookaholics Bulletin Board

Folks,

Because of the health freaks, our grocer has been stocking fresh turmeric root (Google "Golden Milk" for why). This has been interesting for me, because it means I can use fresh turmeric instead of dried in all kinds of SE Asian food.

Fresh turmeric has an interesting carroty flavor in addition to the familiar dried turmeric flavor, which I've found I quite like and adds an extra dimension to a dish. Anyone else use this? Dave?

Cubans use a lot of turmeric, but I've never seen it fresh (does not mean that is not what was used). Does you grate if like ginger root? Can you freeze it like ginger?

Alina,

I wouldn't bother. Turmeric has a lot of water in it (compared to ginger & galangal). The one time I tried freezing it, it thawed soggy and didn't taste like much. Good quality dried is better than frozen fresh.

I have had no problem freezing turmeric, and didn't notice any loss in flavor with this or galangal when frozen. I freeze this, and I don't bother peeling it, but I scrape it, to remove most of those dark rings, then I FS it, and microplane it frozen, or close to it, and it still tastes like fresh. Galangal I peel deeper, and remove those woody knots in them, and treat that the same way.

Thanks Josh and Dave. I am on the hunt for it.

I thought of this thread when I saw the way frozen turmeric, galangal, krachai, and several other seasonings are referred to in that new book Pok Pok. The author calls for "Fresh, or frozen, but not thawed...." I guess when they are thawed, a lot more water leaks out, and ends up wasted, along with the flavorings, whereas if they are sliced up while at least partially frozen, then put int the FP or mortar, none really gets thrown away. I have always done this, without really thinking about it, just because galangal and turmeric are easier to slice very thin after thawing for must a few minutes, then after slicing against the grain like that, it processes almost immediately.

Dave,

OK, I'll remember that! I do freeze galangal, because they only sell it at the Chinese groceries, which are not convenient to my apartment.