Turmeric (Haldi)
Text: Indian Culture · Reviewed by Savin Kumar Kapoor on 6 October 2026
Published · updated
Turmeric, haldi in Hindi, is the boiled, dried and ground rhizome of a ginger plant.1,2,3,4,5,6,7 It stains a deep yellow and tastes slightly bitter.2,4,8
Also known as Kurkuma, Curcuma, Haldi powder
Turmeric, haldi in Hindi, is the rhizome of Curcuma longa, a plant of the ginger family from southern India and Southeast Asia.2,3,4,5,6,9 For the spice it is boiled, dried in the sun and usually ground.1,2,4 Turmeric has a peppery aroma, a warm, slightly bitter taste and a strong orange-yellow colour; it is spice and colouring at once.1,2,4,5,9 In curry powder, turmeric provides the yellow colour.2,3,4,8,10 Before a wedding, the bride and groom are anointed with turmeric in a ceremony also called haldi.3,5,6 The TRS Turmeric Powder pack lists only ground turmeric.7
Is turmeric and ginger the same?
No, but they are related: both are rhizomes of plants in the ginger family. Turmeric is yellow to orange inside, tastes warm and slightly bitter, and is used as much for its colour as for its flavour.2,3,4,9
What is haldi used for?
In the kitchen haldi colours and flavours curries, rice, fish and egg dishes, and it gives curry powder its yellow. Before a wedding, the bride and groom are anointed with turmeric in a ceremony also called haldi.2,3,4,5,6
Recipes with Turmeric (Haldi)
Related products in our shop
TRSTRS Turmeric Powder (Haldi)€2.49 · 100 g · €24.90 per kg
AnnamAnnam Ground Coriander (Dhania)€6.49 · 400 g · €16.23 per kg
VandeviVandevi Asafoetida Powder (Hing)€2.99 · 50 g · €59.80 per kg
TRSTRS Chilli Powder, Extra Hot€15.49 · 1 kg · €15.49 per kg
MDHMDH Chilli Powder (Degi Mirch)€3.49 · 100 g · €34.90 per kg
MDHMDH Chilli Powder, Medium Hot (Kashmiri Mirch)€3.49 · 100 g · €34.90 per kg
All prices incl. VAT, plus €4.90 shipping, free for orders from €49.00.
Sources
- Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). turmeric. In Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
- Britannica Editors. (2026). turmeric. In Encyclopaedia Britannica.
- Katzer, G. (n.d.). Kurkuma (Curcuma longa/domestica, Gelbwurz). Gernot Katzers Gewürzseiten. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
- McCormick Science Institute. (n.d.). Turmeric. Culinary Spices. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
- Digital Dictionaries of South Asia, University of Chicago. (n.d.). haldī. In The Oxford Hindi-English Dictionary (p. 1064). Retrieved October 6, 2026.
- Platts, J. T. (1884). haldī. In A Dictionary of Urdu, Classical Hindi, and English (p. 1231). Digital Dictionaries of South Asia, University of Chicago.
- Indian Culture: TRS Turmeric Powder (Haldi): ingredients on the pack.
- Oxford University Press. (n.d.). turmeric. In Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
- Davidson, A. (2014). turmeric. In The Oxford Companion to Food. Oxford University Press.
- Cornelsen Verlag. (n.d.). Kurkuma. In Duden online. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
Cite this entry
MLA
“Turmeric (Haldi).” Indian Culture Glossary, Indian Culture, https://www.indian-culture.de/en/glossar/turmeric.
Chicago
Indian Culture Glossary, s.v. “Turmeric (Haldi),” https://www.indian-culture.de/en/glossar/turmeric.
APA
Indian Culture. (n.d.). Turmeric (Haldi). In Indian Culture glossary. https://www.indian-culture.de/en/glossar/turmeric