Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial plant of the ginger family, Zingiberaceae which is native to tropical South Asia. It is also known as kunyit (Indonesian and Malay) or haldi or pasupu in some Asian countries. Turmeric has a peppery, warm and bitter flavor and a mild fragrance slightly reminiscent of orange and ginger.
Turmeric comes from the root of the Curcuma longa plant and has a tough brown skin and a deep orange flesh. In medieval Europe, turmeric became known as Indian saffron, since it is widely used as an alternative to the far more expensive saffron spice. Turmeric, the bright yellow colored spice is a powerful medicine to treat a wide variety of conditions like flatulence, jaundice, menstrual difficulties, bloody urine, hemorrhage, toothache, bruises, chest pain and colic.
