Turmeric

Turmeric is a flowering plant of the ginger family whose roots are used as a cooking spice especially in Southeast Asia in different kinds of curry. The taste of turmeric can be described as somewhat similar to black pepper, with a scent similar to mustard. 
Turmeric and its constituent curcumin are also often used in alternative medicine for their purported anti-inflammatory properties, although there is no sufficient scientific evidence to prove the efficacy of these properties.
The origin of the word turmeric is unclear, but it may be come from the French terre mérite, through its Latin origin terra merita, which both mean deserving earth.
The correct pronunciation of turmeric in English is also controversial with some pronouncing it as too-mur-ik while others pronounce it as tur-mur-ik. Given how both pronunciations are widespread in British and American English, they are both generally considered as acceptable. However, because the version with a silent "R" is further from the pronunciation of the origins of the word, we believe that the version with an "R" is preferable, as evident in the audio pronunciation. Nonetheless, how to pronounce turmeric will remain an open question.

Food and Beverage

English