Turmeric is a culinary spice powder, and in Indian and Chinese medicine the root is an ancient drug for general well-being. The root is also available here. If you want to stock up, you can freeze them for a while.
If you have bought too much turmeric, you can safely freeze the root
Turmeric in the supermarket
Turmeric is available in both ground and fresh form in supermarkets and health food stores. It is offered under the following names:
- turmeric
- Tumeric
- turmeric
- Indian saffron
- Yellow Ginger
Turmeric root freshness test
If you would like to process fresh turmeric, you have to make sure that the goods are fresh and of high quality. You can
find out with simple means. The smell of the fresh root has a sharp note. The root must be juicy to the touch and not lignified or wrinkled. Damp patches on the root skin indicate the beginning of rot. When you cut through the root, the inside is a bright yellow-orange color.
Storing and storing turmeric
Store turmeric powder in a tightly closed container, preferably in a jar with a screw cap, in your spice cabinet. The product is not stored there too warm, it is dry and dark. Turmeric powder has a relatively long shelf life.
However, the fresh root is delicate and would dry out and become fibrous very quickly if stored at room temperature. Therefore, you should either store turmeric in the fridge or freeze it in the freezer.
Storage in the refrigerator
Wrap the root airtight in aluminum foil and place it in the dry crisper. It can also be wrapped in kitchen paper and stored in a small container or in a freezer bag in the vegetable drawer. Here it stays fresh for some time. If stored in the refrigerator for too long, the turmeric root acquires a mustard-like taste.
Storage in the freezer
If you use turmeric root regularly, you can keep a small supply of the root in the freezer. It is possible to freeze the root for about three months. To do this, pack the fresh, clean root in freezer bags and try to squeeze out as much air as possible. It is easier to vacuum the bags. Don't forget to label the bag with the freezing date. Also, keep in mind that freezing turmeric root loses some of its medicinal properties.
The garden journal freshness ABC
How can fruit and vegetables be stored correctly so that they stay fresh for as long as possible?
The garden journal freshness ABC as a poster:
- as a free PDF file to print out yourself