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.

Scott

Scott is the founder of TeaMinded. He enjoys tasting and discovering teas from across the globe, with green teas and ceremonial matcha from Japan being among his favorites. He’s grateful to be immersed in the tea community, always learning and sharing along the journey.