Traditions with turmeric

Turmeric, the golden root of a plant related to ginger, colours curries and rituals alike. In South and Southeast Asia, it is a spice of the kitchen and a sacred substance: it is used in cooking, in wedding rites, in prayers at the temple and in the decoration of the home. Its yellow is the colour of auspiciousness. These pages gather the traditions that use it, from the haldi ceremony to the festive rice of Indonesia.

Where it is used

In India, turmeric is in nearly every curry and dal, and in turmeric milk at home. In Indonesia, it colours the nasi kuning served at celebrations and the tumpeng cone. In Thailand, it is in yellow curries, in Morocco in tagines and in Persian stews. In Okinawa, it is brewed as a tea, and in the Caribbean, it flavours curried goat brought by Indian indentured workers.

What it means

At a haldi ceremony before an Indian wedding, family smear a paste of turmeric on the bride and groom to bless and brighten them. A thread dyed with turmeric is tied at Tamil weddings, and the rhizome is offered at temples and used to mark thresholds. The yellow colour is linked to the sun, prosperity and protection, and gifts of turmeric are part of festivals such as Pongal.