By Vidya Reddy | Tea & Turmeric Co-Founder | 25+ Years of Experience in Holistic Wellness & Ayurvedic Living
This is Part 3 of our turmeric series. Part 1 covers what curcumin does in your body, and Part 2 covers how to absorb it properly. Now we bring it into the kitchen.
Turmeric Doesn't Have to Be a Wellness Ritual
One of the things I see a lot in the wellness world is turmeric being turned into something complicated. Giant shots. Elaborate protocols. A whole production.
Here is what I know from twenty five years of Ayurvedic practice and from growing up in a kitchen where turmeric was simply part of every meal: learning how to cook with turmeric consistently, in small amounts, every single day is more powerful than any concentrated dose you take once in a while. Not dramatically. Just daily, in your food, the way people across India, Africa, and the Middle East have done for thousands of years.
That consistency, built into everyday cooking, is what adds up over time. And the recipe further down in this post is designed exactly for that.
If you want to go deeper on inflammation and how turmeric fits into the bigger picture, listen to Episode 20 of The Tea on Wellness podcast.
What Makes Turmeric Different to Cook With
With its deep golden color, earthy fragrance, and slightly bitter, astringent flavor, turmeric is one of the more distinctive spices to work with. Knowing how to use turmeric in food well comes down to a few key things.
It Burns Quickly
Turmeric is sensitive to high heat and burns faster than almost any other spice. Once it burns, the bitterness becomes sharp and there is no recovering the dish. Prep everything before turmeric goes into the pan. Have your next ingredient ready to go the moment it hits the oil.
A Little Goes a Long Way
Too much turmeric can overpower everything else in a dish. Start with a quarter teaspoon per recipe and work up from there. With our Therapeutic Turmeric 7.3%, the potency is significantly higher than standard grocery store turmeric, so you genuinely need less. Between a quarter and three quarters of a teaspoon per recipe is the right range depending on number of servings.
Fat Wakes It Up
As we covered in Part 2, curcumin is fat soluble and needs fat to be absorbed by the body. In Ayurveda, turmeric is often gently warmed in ghee before use, a practice valued for both its culinary and traditional wellness significance. Interestingly, the two approaches overlap in practice.
The Basic Technique
This is the foundation of how to cook with turmeric properly.
Place your ghee or olive oil in the pan over low to medium heat. Add the turmeric and stir continuously for about 20 seconds. You will notice the color deepen slightly. That is your cue that the spice has bloomed. Add your next ingredient immediately to stop the heat. If you are using onion or garlic, sauté those first, then add turmeric last before the liquid or vegetables go in.
That short bloom in warm fat does two things at once: it opens up the flavor of the spice and supports the absorption process we talked about in Part 2.
How to Use Turmeric in Food Beyond Indian Cuisine
Turmeric is traditionally associated with Indian cooking but it belongs in far more places than a curry. Some everyday favorites:
Scrambled eggs with kale and a pinch of turmeric. Roasted sweet potatoes or cauliflower tossed in turmeric and olive oil before they go in the oven. Stirred into soups and broths just before serving. Mixed into lentils or quinoa with a spoonful of ghee. Whisked into salad dressings with olive oil, lemon, and black pepper.
If you have our cooking turmeric, it is a wonderful everyday spice for all of these. If you are cooking specifically for the therapeutic benefits, reach for the Therapeutic Turmeric 7.3% and remember to include fat and black pepper in whatever you are making.
Golden Therapeutic Turmeric Ghee Recipe
This recipe comes from my amma. Growing up in a small village in Eastern Canada, exotic spices were not something you could just pick up at the store. Every time someone in our family traveled to India, they came back with suitcases full of spices, turmeric included, sourced from our village back home.
My mother would make this ghee with that turmeric and stir a spoonful into our warm milk at night. It was her shortcut to golden milk before golden milk had a name. We did not think of it as a wellness ritual. It was just what she made when we needed it.
Now we make it with our Therapeutic Turmeric 7.3%, and the intention is exactly the same.
This is the recipe we recommend most in our shop for people who want turmeric to become a true daily habit. Make a jar on Sunday and it is there all week. It removes the thinking from daily turmeric use entirely and makes how to use turmeric in food every day completely effortless.
Because our therapeutic turmeric is significantly more potent than standard turmeric, this recipe is calibrated for both flavor and function. Too much turmeric in ghee makes it bitter. This ratio keeps it deeply golden, fragrant, and easy to reach for every day.
Ingredients
1 cup grass-fed ghee
1 to 1½ tablespoons Tea & Turmeric Therapeutic Turmeric 7.3%
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon ground ginger (optional, for warmth and digestive support)
½ teaspoon Vietnamese cinnamon (optional, for a softer flavor)
Small pinch of Celtic salt or Himalayan pink Salt
Instructions
1. Place the ghee in a small saucepan over very low heat. You want it warm and melted, not sizzling.
2. Add the turmeric, black pepper, ginger, cinnamon, and salt. Stir continuously for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant. Watch the heat. Low and slow.
3. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool slightly.
4. Taste and adjust. If you want a deeper turmeric flavor, add another teaspoon.
5. Pour into a clean glass jar and let it fully cool before sealing.
Storage: Sealed glass jar at room temperature for 2 to 3 weeks, or refrigerate for up to 2 months.
How to Use It
A small spoonful goes a long way. Stir into warm rice, quinoa, or lentils. Roast vegetables or sweet potatoes with a spoonful melted over them. Spread on sourdough toast with flaky salt. Melt over steamed greens. Add a teaspoon to soups, kitchari, or broth. Scramble eggs in it. Once you have a jar in your kitchen, it finds its way into your cooking without any extra thought.
Why This Turmeric Ghee Recipe Works
The ghee provides the fat curcumin needs to absorb. The black pepper brings piperine, which research shows can support curcumin absorption. The gentle heat blooms the spices without scorching the turmeric. My amma did not know the science behind it. She just knew it worked. All three principles from Part 2 are built right into this recipe.
The Simplest Approach to Daily Turmeric
You do not need a different turmeric ritual for every day of the week. A jar of this ghee in your kitchen means turmeric shows up in your meals naturally, without planning, without measuring, without thinking about it. That is how Ayurveda has always worked. Not in concentrated bursts but in the steady, daily accumulation of good ingredients prepared with intention.
If golden milk is more your rhythm than cooking, our Sacred Golden Milk blend is formulated the same way: the right ingredients in the right proportions, ready to go.
If you want to know more about where our turmeric comes from and why therapeutic grade makes a difference, read Your Guide to Therapeutic Turmeric and Golden Milk in SoCal.
Frequently Asked Questions We Get in Our Shop
How much turmeric should I use when cooking?
Start with a quarter teaspoon per recipe and adjust from there. With our Therapeutic Turmeric 7.3%, you need less than you would with standard grocery store turmeric because the curcumin content is significantly higher. Between a quarter and three quarters of a teaspoon depending on servings is the right range.
Why does turmeric need to be cooked in fat?
Without fat, turmeric mostly passes through the system unused. Blooming turmeric in ghee or oil before adding other ingredients is the most effective preparation method both for flavor and for getting the most from it. A few seconds in warm fat is all it takes.
Can turmeric burn?
Yes, and quickly. Prep all your ingredients before turmeric goes into the pan, keep the heat low to medium, stir constantly, and have your next ingredient ready to add within 20 to 30 seconds.
Do I need to add black pepper every time I cook with turmeric?
If you are cooking for the health benefits, yes. The good news is that most savory dishes that call for turmeric naturally include black pepper anyway. The turmeric ghee recipe already has it built in so if you are cooking with that, you are covered.
Can I use olive oil instead of ghee?
Yes. Olive oil works well for savory dishes and roasting. Ghee is the traditional Ayurvedic choice and adds a rich, nutty flavor that pairs beautifully with turmeric, but any good fat will do the job. Use what you enjoy and what fits your cooking.
How long does turmeric ghee keep?
At room temperature in a sealed glass jar, two to three weeks. Refrigerated, up to two months. Make sure the jar is fully cooled and clean before sealing.
Can I use your cooking turmeric in this recipe instead of therapeutic turmeric?
You can, and it will make a delicious ghee. If you are making it specifically for the therapeutic benefits, use the Therapeutic Turmeric 7.3% for the higher curcumin content. If you want a milder everyday cooking ghee, our Organic Turmeric Powder works beautifully.
Is it okay to add turmeric to smoothies?
Yes, with one caveat. Without fat, turmeric mostly passes through unused. Add a tablespoon of coconut oil or nut butter and a pinch of black pepper and your body will be able to use it properly.
What is the easiest way to use turmeric every day?
Make a jar of turmeric ghee on the weekend and keep it on your counter. When it is already made and sitting next to the stove, it finds its way into your cooking without any extra thought or effort. That is the whole idea.
From Our Kitchen to Yours
Turmeric has been in our family's kitchen for as long as anyone can remember. Not as a trend. Not as a supplement. Just as part of the daily rhythm of cooking and caring for the people we love. My amma made turmeric ghee before golden milk had a name, and she made it because it worked.
That is the tradition behind everything we do at Tea & Turmeric. Make it simple. Make it daily. Make it delicious. A jar of turmeric ghee on your counter is a small thing that adds up to something real over time.
That is all it takes.
Tea & Turmeric is a family owned loose leaf tea and spice shop at 1175 South Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, CA 92651. Visit us in Laguna Beach or shop online at teaandturmeric.com.
The Tea on Wellness podcast covers Ayurvedic food wisdom, herbal wellness, and everyday healing, hosted by Vidya, co-owner and co-founder of Tea & Turmeric.
Originally published August 2, 2022. Updated May 21, 2026 with expanded cooking techniques, a therapeutic turmeric ghee recipe, and frequently asked questions.
About the Author
Vidya is a holistic health practitioner with 25 years of clinical experience. She grew up in eastern Canada with an Indian grandmother, Amma Amma, who practiced Ayurveda as a way of daily life long before Vidya had a word for what it was. She went on to study Ayurveda formally in Kerala, India, ran a private practice in Canada, and co-founded Tea & Turmeric in Laguna Beach. Everything in the store's Ayurvedic section traces back to what Amma Amma knew.
Tea & Turmeric is at 1175 South Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, CA 92651. Hear more from Vidya on The Tea on Wellness Podcast.
This post is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Consult your healthcare provider before beginning any new wellness protocol, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medications, or managing a health condition.
