In the misty Jaintia Hills of Meghalaya, turmeric is not a commodity. It is a calendar — planted with the first warm rains, dug up months later by hand, and laid out on bamboo mats to catch the high-altitude sun.
Why Lakadong is different
Most commercial turmeric carries 2–3% curcumin, the bright yellow compound responsible for its anti-inflammatory reputation. Lakadong, by contrast, regularly tests between 7% and 9% — a difference you can taste and see.
“It is not just turmeric. It is the hill, the rain, and the patience of waiting nine months for the rhizome to be ready.”
From rhizome to kitchen
After harvest, the roots are washed, boiled briefly to fix their colour, and sun-dried for two to three weeks. They are then traditionally hand-pounded — a slower process than industrial milling, but one that preserves the volatile oils that machine grinding would burn off.
- A pinch is enough — Lakadong is roughly three times as potent as commodity turmeric.
- Bloom it briefly in warm fat (ghee, coconut oil, mustard oil) to release fat-soluble curcumin.
- Store it away from light to keep its colour and aroma intact.
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