Ginger Turmeric Condiment may be an acquired taste, but once you’re hooked, there’s no going back. I love it on left-over rice, with beans or lentils, over scrambled eggs, mixed in to a roasted vegetable mélange, over mashed potatoes – just about anything. I just love it. How do I describe the taste? The fresh ginger is pungent, and the fresh turmeric is a bit funky, in a good way. The herb and spice-infused olive oil that you pour over the sliced veg becomes even more aromatic the longer it steeps in the jar with the ginger and the turmeric.
This Ginger Turmeric Condiment is incredibly healthy too! If you’re interested in learning more about the health benefits, check out this post by The Plant-Powered Dietitian, How to Use Fresh Turmeric in the Kitchen.
We’re heading into Dry January. Dry January has evolved into more than just abstaining from wine for me, it’s a chance to focus other healthy habits. I’m not going to diet, but I do plan to work out every day, even if it’s just 40 minutes on the elliptical at a leisurely pace in front of the TV. I had a pretty sedentary December due to COVID and then RSV. I’m looking forward to moving my body!
I’m also going to try out intermittent fasting. I’m a bit late to the party, but I think I’ll enjoy the disciple of it. I’ll be restricting my caloric intake to an eight-hour window, from 10 am to 6 pm, which really only leaves time for two meals. My first meal, if it’s not yogurt or oatmeal, will probably be left-overs from the night before. Or scrambled eggs. In either case, a spoon of the Ginger Turmeric Condiment makes everything better. For the main meal of the day, I try to prepare food that not only Ron can eat, but that he enjoys. Which doesn’t include this Ginger Turmeric Condiment. 🙁 But that’s OK – it’s a condiment! I can add it to my portion of whatever I’ve prepared, and we’re both happy.
This Ginger Turmeric Condiment will last for a very long time in your frig, so no worries if you fear that it will go bad if you don’t eat it as frequently as I. It also freezes indefinitely. This recipe makes two pints. I freeze one of the pints every time I make a batch, so I always have it on hand.
Ginger Turmeric Condiment
Ingredients
- 1 pint fresh organic ginger
- 1 pint fresh organic turmeric
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 1/3 T black mustard seeds
- 2 t chili powder
- 1 T salt
- 1 t black pepper
- Juice of a lemon
Instructions
- Prep the turmeric and ginger – Using your food processor, thinly slice or grate the ginger and turmeric without removing the skin.
- Heat up the spice mixture – Heat some oil in the pan and add the spices, reserving the the salt, pepper, and lemon juice for the next step. When the mustard seeds start to pop, turn the burner off.
- Combine – Pack the sliced ginger and turmeric into two pint jars. Add the rest of the oil, salt, pepper, and lemon juice to the spice mixture, and pour over the ginger and turmeric, to cover. Cover and shake it a bit to evenly distribute the infused oil throughout the jar.
PREP NOTES:
When slicing, I use the thinnest slicing blade on my food processor. I load the hopper with the ginger and turmeric root placed vertically, so that I’m slicing across the roots, rather than from top to bottom. This results in very thin coins of the veg, but they still stand out and provide an aggressive bite.
Alternatively, I just grate it. This might be where you want to start if these flavors aren’t something you’re used to. The grated ginger an turmeric will meld into your dish a bit more.
I like this Ginger Turmeric Condiment both ways.
