1.  Adds a gourmet and appetizing color to dishes - add turmeric to dishes before steaming them.
2.  Adds a spectacular yellow color to rice.  This could be co-ordinated with green from the vegetables and red and brown curries to create a spectacular colored menu presentation
3.  Yellow rice (nasi kuning) is popular on the Eastern islands of Indonesia; it derives its color from fresh or dried turmeric.
4.  Blend with melted butter and steam in or drizzle over cooked vegetables, pasta, or potatoes.
5.  The color of turmeric makes vegetable dishes look great and appetizing.
6.  Add before steaming fish – it will season the fish and also make it look great
7.  Add in lentils and beans and peas
8.  Add when cooking meat stews, chicken dishes
9.  Turmeric is added to most Indian dishes – dry and curried.

The root, or rhizome, has a tough brown skin and bright orange flesh. Ground turmeric comes from fingers which extend from the root. It is boiled or steamed and then dried, and ground. It is used in India since Vedic times (5000 years) for regular preventive reasons. It is popular spice as it makes dishes look spectacular with its brilliant golden-orange color. Turmeric is a very important spice in India, which produces nearly the whole world's crop and uses 80% of it. Turmeric is used extensively in Indian, Indonesian, African and Thai cuisine. In India it is prized for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial effects. For this reason a small amount of turmeric is added in dishes daily.

Indian Stir Fry Cabbage North Indian Style - Bund Gobhi Ki Subji
Ingredients:
1/2 medium cabbage sliced fine
1 baking potato quartered lengthwise and then sliced thinly
1 cup frozen or fresh peas (optional)
4 tbsp. vegetable/ canola/ sunflower cooking oil
10 curry leaves
1 tsp mustard seeds
2 green chillies chopped fine
2" piece ginger grated
2 ripe tomatoes cut into 1" cubes
1/2 tsp tumeric powder
2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp red chilli powder (use less for less spicy)
Salt to taste
Fresh chopped cilantro to garnish
Method:
Heat the oil in a pan on a medium flame. Add the mustard seeds, green chillies, curry leaves and fry till the seeds sizzle and spluttter.
Add the ginger and stir. Add the tomatoes and cook till they are soft.
If you are using peas and potatoes, add them now.
Cook for 4-5 minutes. Add the cabbage and then the turmeric, coriander, cumin, red chilli powder and salt to taste. Mix well.
Cover, simmer and steam with a lid on for 10 minutes.
Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro and serve with hot Chapatis (Indian flatbread), yogurt, dal and Indian pickle.