Boiling the Turmeric Root
Place the turmeric root in a large pot and cover it with water. Fill the pot no more than halfway with turmeric root and add just enough water to cover the root pieces. Be sure to use a tall pot so the roots won’t boil over the sides. Boiling the root helps the pieces dry more quickly and may remove some of the more pungent, earthy undertones in the flavor.Tip: If you're in a hurry and don't mind the earthy flavor, you can skip the boiling process. Simply chop the turmeric root into small pieces and place them directly into your dehydrator.
Boil the root in the water for about 40 minutes. Place the large pot on a burner and bring the water to a boil over medium heat. Simmer the roots uncovered for 40 minutes. Most of the water will evaporate during this time. The roots should be soft enough to easily pierce with a fork after 40 minutes. If they aren’t, boil them for another 5 minutes. A small amount of brown water may be left at the bottom of the pot, which is totally normal.
Drain the root pieces in a colander to get rid of excess moisture. Place a colander or a fine mesh strainer in your sink. Turn off the stove and use a pot holder to grab the pot handle. Carefully dump the contents of the pot into the strainer to drain away the water. Be careful transferring the water to the colander since it's extremely hot.
Place the roots on paper towels and let them cool for 1 hour. Line a flat surface, like a counter or large plate, with a few layers of paper towels. Use tongs to transfer the roots to the prepared surface. Spread the turmeric roots out in a single layer and let them cool completely. The paper towels will absorb any remaining moisture on the roots.
Drying Turmeric Root in a Dehydrator
Cut the cooled turmeric root into 1 in (2.5 cm) pieces. Place the roots on a clean cutting board and slice them into 1 in (2.5 cm) with a sharp knife. Try to make the pieces as uniform as possible so they’ll dehydrate together at the same rate. Each 1 in (2.5 cm) piece of fresh turmeric will yield 1 teaspoon (5 grams) of turmeric powder. You don’t need to remove the skin first! It's perfectly edible. If you want to remove it, use a vegetable peeler to shave off the tough outer layer. Keep in mind that turmeric root may stain surfaces and your hands. You can wear plastic gloves to protect your hands and use a surface that you don't mind staining.
Arrange the turmeric pieces in a single layer on the dehydrator tray. Leave about ⁄2 in (1.3 cm) of room in between the individual pieces. If you run out of room on the tray and your dehydrator can’t accommodate multiple trays, you may need to do separate batches.Variation: If you don't have a dehydrator, you can easily dry your turmeric root in the sun. Spread the chopped root pieces in a single layer on a plate or tray. Then, place the tray in a sunny window and leave it there for 10-15 days. You'll know the roots are ready to grind when they look shriveled and feel brittle.
Set the temperature to 104 °F (40 °C) and dry the roots for 12 hours. Your dehydrator should have a temperature dial on it that allows you to tightly control the temperature. Set it to 104 °F (40 °C) and leave the machine alone for 12 hours. You don’t need to flip the pieces over or do anything during this time.
Take the turmeric pieces off the trays and collect them in a bowl. You’ll know the roots are ready to take out once they shrivel up significantly and feel brittle to the touch. When they’re ready, shut off the dehydrator, put on oven mitts, and pull out the trays. Collect the root pieces with tongs and place them in a large bowl. Be careful, since the dehydrator trays will be quite hot.
Grinding the Dried Root into Powder
Transfer the dried roots to a large grinder. A spice grinder or coffee grinder will work fine for this. A food processor can also get the job done. Fill up the grinder about halfway with roots. You may need to grind the turmeric in batches if you're working with a lot of it. Keep in mind that turmeric has a strong flavor and it stains, so you may not want to use your everyday coffee grinder for this.
Grind the roots on HIGH for 30 seconds to reduce them to a fine powder. If your roots aren’t as finely ground as you’d like after 30 seconds, process them for another 20 seconds or so on HIGH. Aim for a consistency similar to finely ground herbs or ground cinnamon.
Pass the powder through a fine mesh sieve to filter out chunks. Place a medium-sized bowl on the counter right next to the grinder. Hold a fine mesh sieve over the bowl and use your other hand to spoon the turmeric powder into sieve. Work 1 spoonful at a time until you’ve filtered all of the powder. It can help to gently shake the sieve as you work to keep the powder moving through the fine mesh.
Store the turmeric powder in an airtight container for up to 1 year. Transfer the powder to a storage container with an airtight lid. Store the powder in a cool, dark place, like your pantry. When stored properly, the turmeric powder should last for about 1 year.
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