Turmeric: A Root for Multiple Uses

Byline: DR. S.M ALAM Turmeric or 'haldi' as it is popularly called in Urdu is the powder of an underground root of the plant. The word 'kurkum' in Arabic means yellow color. Like the other spices, viz. cinnamon, clove, coriander, ginger and pepper etc. turmeric is widely used to flavor meat, mutton, pulse and some vegetable dishes in the oriental cooking. The flavor in turmeric is due to a volatile oil 'terminol'. Besides flavoring which is the main use of turmeric, it is also used as a household remedy, as a coloring agent to dye cotton and wool fabrics, and is an important constituent of some cosmetic preparations.