Turmeric & Ginger Paste

by Liz Child

I always try to keep a jar of this fresh paste in the fridge. It is so handy for making golden milk in the evenings and I love stirring a spoon through my morning porridge. Turmeric and ginger have many amazing health benefits, I started eating this to help manage my knee pain, but I stuck with this paste because it’s actually very delicious! We stock fresh, organic turmeric and ginger roots in the shop so you can easily add some to your next order.

Liz x

Ingredients (don’t need to be exact)

  • a large thumb of fresh ginger
  • a similar amount of fresh turmeric
  • 1 heaped tbsp coconut oil (this helps your body absorb the turmeric and ginger)
  • 4 or 5 tbsp maple syrup (or your choice of sweetener)
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 a tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • a splash of water

Method

  1. As you are using organic turmeric and ginger, you don’t really need to peel them, but if you would like to, use a teaspoon to scrape off the skin and get into the awkward nooks and crannies without wasting too much flesh. Roughly chop and add to a small, strong food processor.
  2. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend into a smooth, thick paste.
  3. Pour the paste into a very clean jar and keep in the fridge. Use within 3 weeks. You can also freeze the paste in ice cube trays to keep it fresher for longer.

How to use:

Add a spoon or two to a mug of hot milk and drink in the evening after a long day, especially if you are feeling achey. I like mine topped with a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Blend a spoon with banana, ice and milk to make a golden smoothie. Kids love these!

Simmer a spoon into your morning pot of porridge. Top with coconut flakes and cinnamon or your favourite fruit and nuts.

  • Do not consume high amounts of turmeric if you are pregnant. Consult a doctor if you are concerned that turmeric will interact with other medication or health problems.

Turmeric & Ginger Paste

by Liz Child
A page from my book – available to add to your order on Greenearthorganics.ie here.

Turmeric is an incredible, powerful ingredient. It’s many, scientifically proven, health benefits including being an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant are very interesting to read up on. Anecdotally, I have terrible knees from a combination of hyper-mobility, multiple dislocations and corrective surgery that went badly wrong, and I find, when I remember to have a tsp of my turmeric paste at least a few times a week, be that in porridge, smoothies or golden milk, my knees do feel less swollen and painful at the end of the day. As a chef, I love it for it’s vibrant colour and interesting flavour. Curcumin, the compound responsible for most of turmeric’s potential health benefits, unfortunately doesn’t absorb well into the bloodstream so I always add black pepper and oil to anything with turmeric in to increase it’s bioavailability. You can read about the science behind the bioavailibity of turmeric here. So don’t leave the black pepper and coconut oil out of the recipe!

Turmeric & Ginger Paste and three things you can make with it – golden smoothie, turmeric latte and golden porridge – watch the video at the end of this blog to see how!

Ingredients

Method

Peel the turmeric and ginger roots using the edge of a teaspoon.

Slice the roots against the direction of the fibres and put them in a strong blender.

Add coconut oil, ground cinnamon, ground cloves and ground black pepper.

Cover the ingredients with maple syrup and then blend until smooth.

Transfer the mixture into small jars and refrigerate. They should last in the fridge for about a month, so freeze what you won’t use up in that time. Use the frozen turmeric paste within 6 months of making it.

Did you make this recipe? Let us know how it went in the comments or over on our friendly Facebook group. Don’t forget to share this blog post with your friends. Liz x