Turmeric powder (haldi)
No yellow dal and no golden curry without haldi. Ground turmeric, holud in Bengali and haldi in Hindi and Urdu, brings colour and a mild, earthy, slightly bitter note to almost every… 7 Products
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Turmeric powder (haldi)
No yellow dal and no golden curry without haldi. Ground turmeric, holud in Bengali and haldi in Hindi and Urdu, brings colour and a mild, earthy, slightly bitter note to almost every savoury South Asian dish. We stock Turmeric Haldi Powder from Danish, Pran and Radhuni in large 500 g jars, plus TRS Turmeric in smaller packs.
Bengali cooks rub fish with haldi and salt before frying; in Pakistani kitchens a teaspoon goes in with the onions for karahi and salan; and half a teaspoon in the cooking water is all a pot of masoor dal needs. Turmeric opens up when it hits hot oil for a few seconds, but leave it too long and it turns bitter.
Together with chilli powder and jeera, haldi makes up the trio found in every spice box.
Cooking with haldi
- Quantity: ½–1 tsp is enough for a curry serving four. Overdo it and the dish tastes dusty and bitter.
- Stains: turmeric dyes wooden spoons, plastic tubs and worktops. Wipe up splashes straight away; on light fabrics, putting the stain in the sun quickly helps it fade.
- Fish rub: 1 tsp haldi and 1 tsp salt per 500 g of fish, rest for 10 minutes, then fry – the classic start for ilish and rui.
- Storage: keep the big jar airtight and out of the light, and refill a small tub for daily use.
More everyday essentials are waiting in spices and masala.
Frequently asked questions
Is haldi the same as turmeric?
Yes. Haldi (Hindi and Urdu), holud (Bengali) and zerdeçal (Turkish) all mean turmeric, the dried and ground root of the turmeric plant. On German labels you'll usually see "Kurkuma gemahlen".
When should I add turmeric?
Early on, either into the hot oil with the onions or straight into the cooking water for dal and rice. This cooks out the raw taste. Turmeric added right at the end often tastes powdery and slightly bitter.
Can I use turmeric as food colouring?
Yes, a pinch turns rice, batter or eggs a cheerful yellow, though it adds a little flavour of its own. For very bright colours in sweets or biryani, many cooks prefer saffron or food colouring instead.
How do I get turmeric stains out of plastic tubs?
Rinse straight away with hot water and washing-up liquid. Stubborn stains often fade if you leave the tub in direct sunlight for a few hours. For spice storage, glass jars or stainless-steel tins are more practical anyway.