Nghe – Turmeric in Vietnamese Traditional Medicine & Cuisine

tumeric

Turmeric (nghe: Curcuma aromatic rhizome). Cylindrical or fusiform tuber with orange-yellow flesh. It serves in the preparation of certain dishes (snails, frogs, fish, eels, etc.)

Turmeric
Turmeric

It neutralizes the strong smell of fish and gives a fine color; prepared in the form of powder for dishes of meat or fish. Useful for the treatment of stomach aches. It is also rubbed on wounds to quicken healing.

Tumeric combines with honey to cure stomach pain
Tumeric combines with honey to cure stomach pain

Saying: Chưa đánh được người mặt đỏ như vang; Đánh được người mặt vàng như nghệ (when one have not succeeded in beating someone yet, one has a ruddy visage of satisfaction; when one can do so, one has a yellow visage of despair, like saffron).