Turmeric

Turmeric (haldi) is the foundational pigment and mild bitter base across nearly all Indian wet curries. In Punjabi cooking it enters at the oil-tempering stage with onions for Butter Chicken, Chana Masala, and Aloo Gobi — typically 1/4 to 1/2 tsp per serving, enough to color without dominating. Bengali cooking uses it as a fish anti-odor rub (Bhetki Paturi) before wrapping and steaming. South Indian Avial and Sambar use it in thin gravy bases where its earthy note registers clearly.

Burmese curries rely on a sanwin-ngan-pya base (onion, garlic, ginger, turmeric, chili) fried until oil separates — the thahna stage — which is the technical proof of a properly cooked Myanmar curry. Beef Curry, Pork Curry, and Fish Curry all follow this method. Ohn No Khao Swè (coconut noodle soup) uses a turmeric-tinted broth. Burmese Tofu (Shan-style, made from chickpea flour) is tinted yellow by turmeric and pan-fried until crisp.

Amok Trey, Cambodia's steamed fish curry in banana-leaf cups, uses kroeung (lemongrass-galangal-kaffir lime paste) with turmeric as a structural ingredient — it binds the coconut cream and adds color without masking the delicate catfish. Khmer Chicken Curry and Nom Banh Chok (rice noodle soup) carry turmeric in their lemongrass-based broths.