Turmeric!

So there's this nice leafy plant that grows in my yard. It comes up in spires that quickly uncurl into glossy green fronds. It's very tropical looking and pretty. However, underneath is something even better. It's turmeric! You dig up the plant and just below the surface is a big clump of orange fingers (rhizomes) that smell earthy but also kinda like Indian food. So you break them up and wash them off, and now you have a wonderful and flavorful spice.

One inch of grated turmeric substitutes for one teaspoon dried turmeric in your recipes. Make sure to wear gloves when working with this stuff. You know the yellow stain that mustard leaves? It comes from turmeric.
My landlord claims that turmeric prevents all cancers. I'm not certain that this is true, but I would be willing to agree that it's probably good for you. Plus it's tasty. Here's what I made with it:

Turmeric Rice and Broccoli Chicken Stir Fry

Ok, it doesn't look like anything special, but it's really good. Doesn't take that long, either. 

I found the Turmeric Rice recipe on food.com. The Turmeric Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry  came from tablespoon.com. These recipes are both wonderful and I highly recommend you try them. The only change I made was to use fresh turmeric instead of dried. I peeled the skin off and grated it on a grater plate (ceramic plate with spiky bits that you rub the fresh root on) and used it with the ginger instead of with the dry spices. Enjoy!