Fresh turmeric is one type of spice commonly used in various Indian dishes for thousands of years. Today, turmeric is again popular for consumption because it contains enormous anti-inflammatory benefits, in addition to other health benefits that it also has. Love to use turmeric in cooking but are reluctant to buy it in large quantities at once because you don't know how to store it? In fact, storing fresh turmeric without risking damage to its quality is not that difficult. If stored in the refrigerator, turmeric can last for several weeks. Meanwhile, if stored in the freezer, turmeric can last a longer time, which is about six months. If you want, fresh turmeric can also be dried and then processed into powdered spices.
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Method 1 of 3: Storing Fresh Turmeric in the Fridge
Step 1. Wash fresh turmeric and use a vegetable brush to remove any dirt on its surface
In fact, even though it is bought at the market or supermarket instead of being harvested yourself, turmeric still has to be cleaned before being stored or processed. If the turmeric has just been harvested, it is likely that the surface will be covered with dirt. Meanwhile, if turmeric is purchased at the market or supermarket, even though it looks clean, it actually has moved several times so it has the potential to be exposed to germs and dirt. Therefore, always wash turmeric with warm water to wash away any remaining germs and chemicals.
Use a vegetable brush or your fingers to scrub the surface of the turmeric and remove any dust and dirt stuck to it. For a more thorough cleaning result, change the position of the brush or fingers to lift dirt in hard-to-reach areas, such as the corners of the turmeric
Step 2. Lightly pat the surface of the turmeric with a kitchen paper towel to dry off any excess moisture on the surface
One of the risks of storing turmeric in the refrigerator is mold. To minimize this risk, make sure the turmeric has been properly dried before storing it in the refrigerator.
Step 3. Wrap the turmeric with a second kitchen paper, then put the turmeric in a plastic clip bag
After drying, wrap the turmeric with dry kitchen paper. In particular, kitchen towels are useful for absorbing excess moisture in turmeric and making sure the surface is not prone to mold. Make sure the turmeric is only loosely wrapped with a paper towel before placing it in a plastic clip bag, then press the bag to release as much air as possible before closing the bag tightly.
If you wish, you can also store fresh turmeric in a rolled up paper bag, especially since a paper bag will provide the same benefits as kitchen paper towels, i.e. to absorb excess moisture in the turmeric
Step 4. Put the bag of turmeric in the refrigerator
Make sure the bag is placed in an area that is easy to see or reach so you don't forget its presence. If stored this way, the freshness of the turmeric should last for a maximum of 2 weeks.
If you find mold forming on the surface of the turmeric, cut off the moldy area and replace the kitchen paper that was wrapped around the piece of turmeric
Method 2 of 3: Freezing Fresh Turmeric
Step 1. Wash the turmeric and brush the surface to remove the dirt stuck to it
Most likely, the turmeric you bought is still dirty because it has moved several times after being harvested. Therefore, don't forget to clean it using warm water to remove germs and chemicals that have accumulated on the surface.
Use a vegetable brush to scrub the surface of the turmeric and remove as much of the dirt stuck to it as possible. Change the position of the brush periodically to ensure that even hard-to-reach dirt is removed
Step 2. Dry the turmeric properly
Since turmeric will be frozen, make sure it is completely dry before putting it in the freezer. If necessary, squeeze the turmeric with a paper towel or clean cloth to minimize the liquid content in it.
If dried properly, the risk of dehydration and oxidation of turmeric when frozen is reduced. Be careful, the delicacy of turmeric that is dehydrated and oxidized will be reduced. Therefore, take as much time as possible to dry the turmeric so that you can continue to use it for a long time
Step 3. Cut the turmeric into small pieces
Small frozen turmeric will be easier to reprocess whenever needed. Try imagining the amount of turmeric you'll need in one recipe, then cut the turmeric into a size that allows you to soften only 1-2 pieces when needed. If you don't know the exact size, start by cutting the turmeric into 5 cm pieces.
Since the yellow or orange color of turmeric can easily stain your hands and clothes, try wearing gloves when cutting turmeric, and don't touch your clothes before you take off your gloves or wash your hands. Supposedly, turmeric stains on hands can be easily removed with the help of warm, soapy water
Step 4. Put the turmeric pieces in a plastic clip bag
Prepare a plastic clip bag of any size, then put the frozen turmeric pieces in it. Then, press down on the bag to get as much air out of it as possible, seal the bag tightly, then roll up the empty part of the bag to maximize storage space in the freezer.
Step 5. Put the plastic bag clip into the freezer
Place the pouch in an area that is easy to see and reach. Generally, fresh frozen turmeric can last for a maximum of six months in the freezer. Before freezing, don't forget to write the date of freezing of turmeric on the surface of the bag using a permanent marker to determine the expiration date.
- Once softened, the frozen turmeric will feel a little soft, but the taste will not change.
- If you are reluctant to wait for soft turmeric for too long, you can immediately grate frozen turmeric to process it into various types of dishes.
Method 3 of 3: Drying Fresh Turmeric
Step 1. Clean the turmeric
Using warm running water, wash the turmeric thoroughly to remove germs and chemicals adhering to its surface. If you want, you can also use a vegetable brush to maximize the cleaning process.
Since the skin of the turmeric will be peeled off before drying, don't worry if there is some dirt on the surface of the turmeric at this stage
Step 2. Use a vegetable peeler to peel the skin of the turmeric
Understand that the biggest health benefits are in the flesh of turmeric, and peeling the skin using a vegetable peeler can maximize these health benefits. Since some turmeric has an irregular shape like ginger, you will likely have to change the position of the vegetable peeler several times to maximize the results.
Don't worry if there's a little bit of skin left, especially since the areas of skin stuck to the corners of the turmeric are tough to peel off
Step 3. Cut the turmeric into thin, equal-sized slices
Thinly sliced turmeric can dry out more quickly and evenly. Therefore, try to cut the turmeric to the same thickness and size so that the turmeric drying process can be completed simultaneously.
Since the bright yellow or orange color of turmeric can easily stain your hands and clothes, try wearing gloves when cutting turmeric, and don't touch your clothes before removing gloves or washing your hands
Step 4. Place the turmeric pieces on the dehydrator tray
Fill the dehydrator tray with as many pieces of turmeric as possible, but make sure there is space between each piece of turmeric to maximize the drying process.
Step 5. Dry fresh turmeric at 40 degrees Celsius for 4 hours
Turn on the dehydrator and let the turmeric dry for 4 hours while you do other things. After 4 hours, check the texture of the largest and thickest turmeric. If the turmeric is completely dry, it means the drying process is complete. If not, take out the smaller, completely dry turmeric and turn the dehydrator back on for 1-2 hours.
Step 6. Use a spice grinder to turn the dried turmeric into a powder
After drying some turmeric fruit, feel free to start grinding it into powder. Make sure you don't grind too much turmeric at the same time for maximum results.
- Turmeric powder can be stored in an airtight container to maintain its quality.
- If you want, you can also use a coffee bean grinder. However, make sure the tool has never been used to grind coffee beans before, especially because the aroma of coffee is so strong that it is feared that it will contaminate the aroma and taste of ground turmeric.
Step 7. Store the dried turmeric in an airtight container
Dried turmeric stored in an airtight container can last for a year or more! However, make sure the container used is completely airtight so that the freshness of the turmeric is not disturbed. Some examples of containers that can be used are jars with lids, plastic Tupperware containers, or used baby food cans that have been washed and dried.
