When I approached the Turmeric Tea recipe in Near & Far it was with equal parts curiosity and fear. While I was afraid of how a drink of black pepper and turmeric would taste, I was drawn in by the fact that Heidi came up with this recipe while researching old cookbooks at the LA library. In my mind the scholarly approach somehow helped imbue this combination with the wisdom, and safety, of the ages. So there was the fear thing knocked out of the way. Given my penchant for food trends, and the fact that I've been hearing a low rumble around turmeric for a good while now, curiosity was getting the better of me. Give me an interesting ingredient in a way I've never had it, and pretty much I'm in. So all it took for me to start stirring up my turmeric + honey paste last night was a slight tickle in my throat.
You most likely have all of these ingredients in your pantry already. So really there's no reason not to give it a go tonight. Powdered turmeric, honey, black pepper, and a lemon. The honey + turmeric paste comes together in about 5 stirs. No big whoop. Boil the water. While that's happening you have time to lazily crank the pepper mill over your mug...20, 21, 22, 23...yup, the more cranks the better folks. Oh, and squeeze that half a lemon in. Then, look at that, the water's ready. The round, overflowing spoonful of sturdy honey-turmeric paste melts away as you stir it round in your mug. And you are good to go. The earthy, sweet, spicy, tart steaming addictive goodness burns and soothes on its way down. Tastes equally great after dinner, before bed, or Sunday afternoon on the couch.
TURMERIC TEA
— adapted from Near and Far: Recipes Inspired by Home and Travel by Heidi Swanson (Ten Speed Press, 2015)
- 2 ½ teaspoons dried turmeric
- 1/3 cup good, raw honey
- 1 lemon
- Lots of freshly ground black pepper
- Drizzle of pure almond oil or coconut milk, or ½ teaspoon extra-virgin coconut oil or ghee
METHOD (Adapted)
Pour the honey into a small jar with a tight fitting lid. Stir the turmeric into the honey until it forms a thick paste. This paste (in the jar with the lid on) will keep well in a dark cupboard indefinitely. Which is great since now you’ll have enough turmeric-honey paste on hand for at least 5-6 servings of tea.
For each single serving, take a large rounded teaspoon of turmeric-honey paste and place it in your mug. Pour the hot water over the paste allowing it to melt a bit and then stir well. Add a good squeeze of lemon, as much black pepper as you like, and finish with the extra-virgin coconut oil, ghee, or almond oil. The good bits will sink to the bottom every so often so keep a spoon on hand to swirl it up as necessary.