Growing turmeric

Has anybody grown turmeric before? I experimented with it this season and have just harvested a few bulbs (or whatever you call them). They weren't terribly prolific, but fun to grow in pots. Each piece of root planted yielded a big piece in the end. I'll grow it again and see how it goes this year.

I grew it last season. Harvested it late autumn. Also not prolific but easy in a pot. No care at all, apart from remembering to water. I'm inspired to try ginger this year, or even galangal. Can't ever see myself being self-sufficient in any of them but it's fun.

Turmeric is soooo healthy, I did try some, but it disappeared somewhere. I might try again when this cold and rain stops long nough for me to go out and source some fresh stuff! My garden is under water, another 55 ml last night - this is like living in tropical Africa all over again, except for the cold! My poor direct sown insectorium is somewhere across the road in the neighbour' pebble garden!

This sounds like a fun experiment. I've seen turmeric at the organic fruit stall in the local market - can you just plant a bit of the root or is there a trick to it? When do you plant and when do you harvest? Given your location, Raymondo, I'm assuming that it grows in cold climates.

Just put some bought turmeric in a pot or the ground, a few inches down, not too far. It's frost tender so don't plant any until you're sure the freezes are over. Harvest in autumn. If you live in a kinder climate than I do, you should get a decent haul. It's a forest dweller I believe so at most morning sun, or plant some under the apple tree, in among the strawberries!

I did as Raymondo described. Also put some pebbles in the pot as mulch. It's a lovely leafy plant when it gets going.

Freeze the haul - take out and grate every time you need some turmeric. Works well for me. I don't use it often enough, though. Only in curries. And in preserving. Any other uses?

I use it in rice dishes - risotto or just to colour rice and add sultanas. Also in couscus - I do couscus with almonds and finely chopped dried apricots to serve with some of my north african recipes. It's excellent to flavour seafood too and I also use it in pumpkin soup or with sweet potato to cut the sugar content. It is an anti-inflammatory so good for us of the Pitta persuasion, and can be used ( a pinch) in mango lassi just to improve the colour. Had a google, and found this link, which has a recipe for Dal Sgharva similar to mine. Used in mustard pickles along with yellow mustard, I've even added a bit to the water to cook sweetcorn ( again to cut the sugar). http://homecooking.about.com/library/archive/blturmeric.htm

Thank you for the advice on how to use turmeric, other than curries and pickling.
Excellent website, too. I immediately earmarked a few recipes to make very soon.