Forums > Specific Focus > Mexican Kitchen

margojean

Mar 29, 2009, 8:41 AM

Post #1 of 4 (7985 views)

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camote azafran

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Mexican tumeric - I understand it is both tasty and healthy. Anyone have advice on how to use these little tubers?
margojean

(This post was edited by margojean on Mar 29, 2009, 8:54 AM)

margojean

Mar 29, 2009, 9:49 AM

Post #2 of 4 (7977 views)

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Re: [margojean] camote azafran

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Well, I seem to be talking to myself here. Camote azafran is available in the Ajijic Walmart produce section. In English is simply tumeric roots. Highly praised as a health food. I googled it and found many useful sites, including
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/283205 Mostly Indian recipes.

Basically, use it as you would ginger, and better to combine the two rather than to omit the ginger if a recipe calls for ginger.

Also, you can plant the little tubers and grow your own. The leaves are also used as a condiment.

Since it is for sale in a Mexican supermarket, I assume there are Mexican recipes that use it. Anyone have a Mexican dish that calls for this stuff?
margojean

mazbook1

Apr 18, 2009, 5:49 PM

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Re: [margojean] camote azafran

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margojean, I THINK that it's used only as a yellow coloring in dishes where you would normally use the very, very expensive saffron (azafran). The tumeric (cúrcuma in Spanish) lends dishes the yellow color with only a little used so the flavor doesn't come through. Also, some stores sell a small grey seed, a bit smaller than a pea, that is a brilliant yellow when broken open and can be used the same way since it doesn't seem to have any flavor that I can discern. It's sold openly as "azafran" here in Mazatlán, even though it bears no resemblence whatsoever to real azafran (saffron).

Brigitte Ordoquy

Apr 20, 2009, 6:55 AM

Post #4 of 4 (7816 views)

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Re: [mazbook1] camote azafran

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In Chiapas all the Tamales Azafran are made with turmeric roots.

People in Oaxaca use the turmeric or curcuma as a dye for the wool they use to make carpets.