Okinawa Herb series ~ Turmeric

Okinawa is a subtropical island of Japan and it used to be called the Kingdom of Ryukyu with a slightly different cultural background than mainland Japan. Its roots go all the way back to Jōmon era and has a lot of influence from Korea. 

Turmeric or Curcuma Longa is not exclusive to Okinawa, of course. And its ancient history goes back to more than 4000 years old. In Sanskrit, turmeric has more than 53 different names, including anestha (not offered for sacrifice or homa), bhadra (auspicious or lucky), to name a few. (ref: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92752/) . Turmeric has been used not only for cooking and ailments but also for ceremonious rituals. Its golden yellow color has been known to be auspicious colors for many cultures. 

Here in Okinawa, the power of Autumn turmeric is well known. We wait for our scorching hot summer heat to calm down, then comfortably warm yet drier fall and winter are the harvest seasons for Okinawan turmeric. Its antioxidant rich power includes:

• Anti-inflammatory
• Aids in digestion
• May help improve cognitive function
• Improves skin health
• May help with arthritis and joint health
• May help relieve anxiety
• May help with muscle soreness after exercise

Within our SOMA products, we have a variety of products that include Okinawan Autumn turmeric including Sun Mylk, Goddess Mylk, God of Earth tea blend and Moon Mylk. Here are some of my favorite ways to use these products:

Sun Mylk Affogato

• Add 1 Tbsp of SOMA Sun Mylk to 80ml of hot water and mix thoroughly
• In to the above mix, pull double espresso and mix
• Add a scoop or two of Vanilla Ice Cream into a bowl 
• Pour in Sun Mylk espresso mixture onto the ice cream
• Garnish with crushed almonds or crystalized chocolate dipped orange peels and enjoy immediately

Moon Mylk Fluffy Pancake

• Add 2 tablespoons of vinegar into ¾ cup of milk and let it sit for 10 minutes
• Mix in another bowl, 1 cup of all-purpose flour, 1 Tbsp sugar, 1 tsp baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ salt, 1-2 tablespoons of Moon Mylk
• After the first 10 minutes, add in the flour mixture into the milk mixture and mix. Don’t over mix it, then wait another 10 minutes
• Warm your pan with a bit of butter or ghee. Carefully take a spoonful with a big spoon and drop into the pan. Try not to stir too much.
• Once the bubbles start to appear, flip over.
• Garnish with blueberries and coconut whipped cream and voila! You are done!