Turmeric Root Tea Recipe

Inspired by a twitter post from @AmyOh2 seeking recipes for making tea with dried turmeric root – I went on a search. Many of the recipes I came across called for turmeric powder, not the fresh (or dried) root. Others were for variations of chai teas (all good, but I was looking for something a bit different).

A trip to the local Whole Foods Market resulted in a good portion of turmeric roots (and other ingredients) for some at-home experimentation. My first few attempts and concoctions on the turmeric root tea recipe front resulted in mediocre results.  Finally, I found a blend that satisfied.

Turmeric Tea – A TeaMinded Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 to 2 inches of turmeric root, chopped
• 1/2 inch ginger root, sliced into 2-3 quarter size portions
• 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon whole (uncrushed) peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon loose leaf black tea
• 1 to 2 cups filtered water

Steps:

• Bring 1 to 2 cups water to a full boil in medium-sized saucepan
• Add turmeric root and simmer for 2-3 minutes
• Add ginger root, cinnamon, peppercorn and simmer for 3 additional minutes
• Add loose leaf black tea and simmer for 1 additional minute (or last 3–seconds)
• Remove from heat, strain and serve (some may also prefer to add a touch of honey)

A few noteworthy observations: 

• Use heavy proportions of turmeric root — otherwise this would just be black tea with lots of additions.
• With initial samples the ginger was overpowering.  So, I went with just a few slices for this recipe (vs. the finely chopped or grated options).
• My goal is to have turmeric be the dominant ingredient. Therefore, I recommend holding back until the last minute (or 30-seconds) of boiling/steeping before adding the loose leaf tea. This ensures just a hint of the black tea (rather than a heavily/overly cooked black tea variation). I also tried a sample without the loose leafs (also very good, producing a deep orange-colored liquor and heavy turmeric taste).
• This recipe doesn’t truly solve Amy’s search for a recipe using “dried” turmeric root. But replacing the fresh/chopped turmeric root with the dried variety might garner similar results (worth a try..I just need to track down a source for dried turmeric root…stay tuned).
• Turmeric stains — your fingers and cutting board will be orange…be prepared (with good soap, and/or latex gloves).

Here’s a peak of the end result.

Note – I used these small cups for “family tasting” purposes (which worked well). However, I’d recommend a more sturdy teacup/mug for serving and enjoying.

Special thanks to @AmyOh2 (her twitter handle) for the inspiration. You can follow her blog here: San Fran Tea — Notes from a tea drinker in San Francisco. 

Please share your comments, feedback on the recipe, or even your own turmeric tea recipes and suggestions in the comments section.