The Wonder Spice
Turmeric has rapidly become a favorite kitchen staple, praised not only for its vibrant color but also for its many health-promoting properties. Once mostly known as a curry ingredient and a stubborn yellow stain on clothes, turmeric has stepped into the spotlight as a versatile spice that enhances both flavor and wellbeing.
My early experiments with turmeric were modest: I knew it for its role in pilau rice and Indian dishes and I once tried turmeric milk, which I found underwhelming. That prompted me to explore other ways to use the spice. As I experimented more, I discovered turmeric’s depth when balanced with complementary ingredients—its warm, earthy bitterness can become a bright, savoury note in the right combinations.
What makes turmeric especially notable is curcumin, its active compound, which has attracted a lot of interest for potential health benefits. Beyond that, turmeric adds color, aroma and a subtle peppery-sweet flavor to dishes. When used skillfully, it can transform simple ingredients into memorable meals.
Part of the joy of cooking with turmeric is discovering how well it pairs with lesser-known spices. I recently found a local spice shop with an impressive selection and picked up asafoetida (hing), a pungent spice used sparingly in vegetarian dishes to aid digestion and add depth. Combined with turmeric, a pinch of hing can boost savory, legume-based dishes, rounding out flavors in a way that feels both comforting and sophisticated.
I wanted to develop a simple, one-pot vegetarian recipe that made abundant use of turmeric, could be batch-cooked, required minimal prep and tasted great throughout the week. The result was a warming, richly spiced sweet potato stew finished with toasted peanuts. It stores well and reheats beautifully, making it ideal for weekday meals.
The dish is comforting, slightly sweet from the sweet potato, and balanced by the creaminess of coconut milk and the earthiness of lentils and black-eyed beans. A scattering of toasted peanuts adds texture and a nutty finish that complements the spice blend. If you enjoy bold, nourishing vegetarian food that’s simple to prepare, this is a great recipe to add to your rotation.
Turmeric Sweet Potato Wonder Pots
By Gavin Wren
Serves 3
Uses a pot and a pan
Ingredients
2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1/8 teaspoon asafoetida (optional)
1/8 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
35g ginger, peeled and chopped (a large thumb-sized piece)
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
Approx 450g sweet potato, skin on, chopped into 1cm chunks
400g tin black-eyed beans, drained and rinsed
150g dried red lentils
400g tin coconut milk
1 heaped tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
50g plain peanuts, roughly chopped
Directions
In a large saucepan with a lid, heat the coconut oil over medium heat. Add the ground turmeric, optional asafoetida and chilli flakes, stirring to infuse the oil.
Add the chopped ginger, garlic and onion and fry for a few minutes until softened. Add the sweet potato and black-eyed beans, stirring to coat everything in the spiced oil, and cook for another two minutes. Stir in the red lentils until well combined and evenly coated in the spice mixture.
Pour in the coconut milk, then fill the empty coconut milk tin with water and add that too, scraping the tin to get all the remaining milk. Add the chopped thyme, stir, and increase the heat to high.
Bring the mixture to a boil uncovered, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Cover with the lid, lower the heat, and continue to simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the stew becomes too dry, add a little more water (about a quarter tin at a time) until you reach a thick, stew-like consistency.
While the stew is finishing, heat a small pan over medium-high heat and toast the peanuts, stirring occasionally until they are golden brown. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Ladle the stew into bowls and sprinkle with the toasted peanuts before serving.
