Turmeric is a perennial, herbaceous flowering plant belonging to the ginger family, native to South East Asia. The part used in the kitchen is the rhizome, lifted from beneath the plant and dried whole. Curcumin is the compound that gives turmeric its bright yellow colour, and it is that colour, along with an earthy, slightly bitter warmth, that has made the rhizome a fixture of Asian cooking. Ours is grown by organic farmers without synthetic fertilisers or pesticides, then cleaned, dried and packed in small batches.
Certified organic. That means the crop is grown and handled to organic standards from the field through to packing, with no synthetic fertilisers or pesticides used on the plants and nothing added afterwards. What reaches you is turmeric rhizome and nothing else — no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
- Whole dried turmeric rhizomes, not ground
- Grown by organic growers without synthetic fertilisers or pesticides
- Cleaned, dried and packed in small batches in Sri Lanka
- Free from artificial colours, flavours and preservatives
Whole turmeric keeps its aroma far longer than powder, so grate or grind only what a dish needs. It is used as both a colouring and a flavouring agent across Asian cooking, and is at its most familiar in curries, where a small amount sets the colour of the whole pot. Beyond curry, turmeric is what gives prepared mustard much of its yellow, and it is used to colour cheese and butter. It can also be stirred into warm milk to drink. Because the flavour is assertive, start with less than you think and build up; the colour will carry further than the taste. Whole rhizomes are best kept in a sealed jar away from light and heat, alongside your other spices.
Turmeric has long been valued in Sri Lankan kitchens and traditional households, and this is one of the island's everyday staples rather than an occasional flourish.
Lakpura works with organic growers across Sri Lanka to bring the island's spices to the table in the form they are used at home.
