A bright yellow spice that comes from the rhizome of a plant in the ginger family. It's sometimes available fresh, but is usually sold dried and ground, in powder form. Turmeric is often a component of curry powder and it's used on its own in many Asian dishes, including fish curries, dhals, pilafs as well as in many North African meat and vegetable dishes.

Turmeric also gives chutneys and pickles (such as piccalilli) their distinctive yellow tinge. It has a slight peppery aroma and a musky taste and is sometimes substituted for the more expensive saffron because it produces the same bright yellow colour, but it has a very different flavour.