English common name: Turmeric
Tetum: Kinur
Scientific name: Cucurma longa
Growing[]
Turmeric growing in the garden
Turmeric is a perennial herb which grows up to a meter tall. It has wide green leaves and a white flowers. It is in the same family of plants as ginger. Turmeric is grown for its orange roots (rhizomes), which are used as a spice.
Turmeric grows best in a tropical climate and well-drained soils. It requires 1000mm to 2000mm of rainfall per year to produce a good crop. New plants are grown from pieces of rhizome which are planted 5-7cm deep. Plants are harvested after about 10 months.
Regions of Timor-Leste[]
Districts of Timor-Leste
In Timor-Leste, turmeric is often grown in the districts of Dili, Lospalos and Ermera.
Taste[]
Turmeric can be used fresh or dried and used as a powdered spice. It is bright yellow in colour and used to give colour and flavour to many types of curry dishes. Turmeric leaves can also be used to wrap foods while they are cooked to give additional flavour.
In traditional Timorese cooking turmeric is used to give flavour and colour to a rice dish called Katupa. This Timorese rice ball is cooked inside coconut fronds which have been woven into different shapes. Katupa is easy to carry when walking to far places.
Fresh Turmeric root
Turmeric has also been used by some people as a traditional medicine to cure heartaches and stomach aches.
Methods[]
At Agora Food Studio, turmeric is used with coconut milk to make a flavoursome rice ball called Katupa. Turmeric is mixed with rice, garlic red onion and salt and then placed inside the coconut leaf bag. These bags are then boiled in coconut milk until the rice is cooked.
Steamed Papaya flavoured with Turmeric
The photo below shows Katupa rice and steamed Papaya flavoured with Turmeric.
Turmeric is also mixed with tamarind and banana to make delicious fruit smoothies. It is also used for making herbal tea.
Nutritional benefits[]
Turmeric is a good source of Vitamin C, Magnesium, Vitamin B6, Iron, Potassium and Manganese.