Turmeric
Turmeric · ขมิ้น（カミン）
Curcuma longa
“The golden rhizome”
| Thai name | ขมิ้น |
|---|---|
| Species | Curcuma longa |
| Family | Zingiberaceae |
| Part used | Rhizome |
| Aroma | Earthy, faintly bitter, with a spicy finish |
The meaning carried in "kamin"
Turmeric is one of the herbs essential to Thai traditional medicine and home cooking. In Thailand the herbal sauna is called "op samun phrai," and the culture of delivering medicinal herbs to the body through steam has continued for generations. As a central presence in it, turmeric has long been used across steam, topical preparations and cooking alike. Thai folk practice is recorded as applying it to the skin as a body mask, and as turning to it for stomach upsets, skin troubles, coughs and aching joints. Its vivid colour comes from curcumin; its aroma is led by the turmerones.
A herb that helps like a forest spirit
In Thai tradition, "samun" spirits are believed to dwell in the forest and lend a hand when people are in need. Turmeric is used in cooking, topically, in bathing and more — its vivid color and spicy aroma accompanying everyday life.
In op samun phrai, turmeric is steamed alongside several other herbs. In luk prakop — the Thai compress in which herbs are wrapped in cloth, steamed and pressed against the body — a formulation recorded in the peer-reviewed literature puts turmeric at about a tenth of the mix, one of its three core materials alongside plai and camphor. The aroma and steam that fill the room, together with cooling down in cold water, make up a local style long enjoyed.
Familiar in Japan as a curry spice, turmeric is used in Thailand through steam, topical use, and drinks — a partner enjoyed for its color and aroma with all the senses.
Note: this page introduces the traditions and culture around the plant. It does not guarantee any effect.
📖 Read the Journal article on this herb →