turmeric + coconut = 💗

August 11, 2018 10:16 AM

I had a coconut turmeric latté at a local coffee place and now I want coconut and turmeric in all the things. Do you have recipes that you like? And can you help me keep some turmeric milk on hand for iced lattés?

I've seen this post on the blue but a lot of the links are broken. And reading about "golden milk" on the larger internet is making me quackeyed. Could someone who actually uses turmeric on the regular either walk me through the basics of turmeric paste (Do I need to make the paste? Can I just make it with milk and keep that in the fridge?) or turmeric milk and/or share other recipes? I have these in the oven right now and it's making me hungry!

posted by jessamyn to Food & Drink (10 answers total)

I've used powder, fresh root, and paste, and in my experience, paste is the way to go for most applications. It's actually pretty quick and easy to make, and it blends more smoothly with milk. It's also delicious when added to rice, or oatmeal, or any other savoury or sweet grain dish -- just a little spoon of paste added to the cooking liquid will transform a simple side into something fancy and wonderful. You can make up a big batch to store in the fridge, and it keeps for ages in a well-sealed glass container -- I just recycle old jars for the purpose, because it does tend to stain.

The ratio I use is pretty simple:

1/2c turmeric powder
1c water
2 tsp fresh-ground black pepper (you can use less; 1tsp or even 1/2 tsp if you mostly want it for lattes)
1/4 c coconut oil (if mostly using for savoury recipes, olive oil also works, but I find coconut better suited for all-purpose paste)

Just dump the turmeric and pepper and water in a small saucepan, stir well, and gently simmer for about eight minutes. If it gets too thick, add water; too thin, add more powder. Take it off the heat, stir in the oil, let it cool, and put it in a jar in the fridge. Then put it in everything!

Just add a teaspoon to the milk of your choice (coconut is great, almond too) for lattes -- plus a little honey or sugar for sweetness, and some vanilla extract. I know 'golden milk' sounds a bit ridiculous, but even just the hot milk on its own is delicious, no coffee required, particularly if you add a little ginger.

You can just add the powder directly to milk, but it tends to separate out if you store it that way, or even if you drink your beverage slowly. The fat in the paste seems to prevent this issue, so you don't get a bunch of yellow sediment at the bottom of your mug. The paste also keeps way longer than pre-mixed milk.
posted by halation at 10:37 AM on August 11, 2018 [22 favorites]

I lightly toast powdered turmeric a wee bit in a dry pan first and make yellow rice - I'm far more heavy-handed with the turmeric (and the garlic, quite frankly) than most recipes call for - I use around 2 heaping tablespoons of turmeric for each cup of basmati rice.

Then, instead of broth I sometimes use a 50/50 mix of broth/coconut milk or water/coconut milk.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 11:06 AM on August 11, 2018 [4 favorites]

It's not a recipe, but you'll probably enjoy Nature's Gate Golden Tumeric Breakfast Cereal. I've had it and it's pretty good.
posted by brookeb at 12:53 PM on August 11, 2018 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Thanks everyone. I am drinking an iced coconut maple turmeric latté right now in my own home and am SO HAPPY.
posted by jessamyn at 1:57 PM on August 11, 2018 [9 favorites]

The popsicle shop in my town makes an excellent coconut milk/turmeric/banana pop. My attempt to recreate it was pretty delicious - one lightly mashed banana mixed with maybe half a can of coconut milk, some water to thin it a bit, sweetener, turmeric and a pinch of salt.
posted by messica at 2:23 PM on August 11, 2018 [5 favorites]

Such weird timing - this article about a calming turmeric elixir was on my Facebook feed about five minutes ago.
posted by Sweetie Darling at 3:31 PM on August 11, 2018 [1 favorite]

I made Nigella Lawson's Dal yesterday, which has cocoanut and turmeric. I also made her Cauliflower and Cashew Nut Curry, which has cocoanut though not turmeric - I put the 200ml leftover cocoanut yoghurt from the first recipe into the second one, as otherwise it was a bit too hot for me.
posted by paduasoy at 2:30 AM on August 12, 2018 [1 favorite]

Let's see here... I've got a few variations on the standard golden milk trend. But perhaps you'd like something a bit more in depth? Or iced? Or in smoothie form?

Maybe you're craving something with a bit more substance, but still sweet and refreshing like a porridge, pie, or ice cream?

Jump into the savory realm and you've got a lot to choose from: Soups, broths, dals, lentils, curries across all sorts of cuisines. But it's hard to go wrong with rice or noodles in soup form.
posted by zsh2v1 at 8:43 AM on August 12, 2018 [1 favorite]

You must discover Sri Lankan food, which could be described as the intersection of turmeric and coconut (ethnic Tamils, who bridge both the island nation and the mainland, are a big part of this equation). If you also like tamarind, you'd be really extra-golden here.

I'd suggest hitting up Yelp with both search terms ("Tamil" and "Sri Lankan") to find local eateries (or on vacation to urban areas, if you're in the boonies) and seeking out cookbooks.

The best general Indian cookbooks are Julie Sahni's immortal "Classic Indian Cooking" and "Classic Indian Vegetarian and Grain Cooking" (both especially strong for ingredient/spice descriptions in the front matter). You'll find a few Sri Lankan recipes therein (plus lots of other greatness). I can't recommend a specifically Sri Lankan cookbook, but here are some very helpful links:

An Introduction to Sri Lankan Cuisine
Cook with Chef Duminda
String Hoppers with Kiri Hodi [Video]
The Culinary Corner - pick out the Sri Lankan stuff.
Forgotten Tamil Recipes
Don't Miss These Dishes in Chennai
Padhus Kitchen
Everyday Recipes and More
Exploring the Spicy and Spirited Cuisine of Chettinad

Consider this payback for your two recent super-helpful answers!
posted by Quisp Lover at 11:06 AM on August 22, 2018

Response by poster: I have been eating these all the time now.
posted by jessamyn at 3:12 PM on February 10, 2019 [1 favorite]