My harvests this week have something of a tropical feel which is ironic really as it has been far from warm. Kicking things off I have pretty much all of my remaining turmeric crop:
I harvested 325g which I was quite pleased with considering that growing conditions here are less than ideal. So far I’ve used a bit in a curry but I probably need to find a way of preserving it as I don’t really use it that regularly. Some I will save for replanting in Spring.
In a similar vein I also harvested some ginger.
Some curry leaves:
and some chillies:
Despite the cold the chillies are still ripening which is good because the plants have heaps of green ones left on them and although I like green chillies I find them more versatile once they’ve turned red.
Just in case the above has left you a bit confused about where and when I’m gardening I do have some cool season crops.
This chard was delicious in Chicken Saag (yes I know I really should cook some new dishes…..).
This week I used herbs and greens in: the saag, vegetable stock, soup,
and most memorably in a bacon, lentil and cavolo nero braise that I served with some polenta. A really enjoyable combination it was too.
As you can see I’m still getting the odd tamarillo – I think there are about 5 left on the tree so next Monday will probably see the last photo of them for this year. Which is a shame as I’ve loved having them.
And those were this weeks harvests (aside from the lettuce, broccoli, limes and celery that seem to have escaped the glare of the camera lens). For more head on over to Daphne’s Dandelions and see what people are picking this week.
Nice turmeric and ginger harvest. I hope my ginger send out new rhizomes. The green shoots of the ones in containers and in the garden have emerged but very slooooowly.
Mine were really really slow to get going too – hope yours do the right thing and produce for you.
Very nice harvests! The chilis look especially beautiful. Is ginger difficult to grow? I’m wondering if it is something I could attempt sometime.
I found the ginger very easy in a just give it some food and water then wait a long time and see what happens kind of way. It does need a relatively warm climate though.
Just look at those lovely red chillis! My Caysan succumbed to the fairly heavy frost we had recently so I’ve harvested the rest of the crop, green. Several other varieties went similarly. The Jalapenos are up against the brick wall of the house and are doing okay, still, so I think they may actually over-winter, which would be great as they are very prolific (though a bit mild, for my taste). A lovely little hot one is located there, too.
So, I’m still harvesting chillis plus silverbeet, carrots, parsnip, rocket and parsley. I’ve also got curry leaf available (in a pot in a frost free spot!) and other herbs. Oh, and lemons. And, with great pride, I’d like to announce that Speckle (at least I think it was her) laid her first egg yesterday. AND another today. I wasn’t expecting that until the weather warmed up. She’s a good girly.
As I expect we all do, I love being able to include at least one thing in each meal that comes from the garden, even if it just be parsley.
This ‘growing our own’ lark is so satisfying, isn’t it??
Correction. It was Freckle. Speckle came to an unfortunate demise some weeks ago. RIP Speckle. Splodge is still working out that she is a chicken and that she should be laying eggs. One day she’ll get the hang of it.
I’m very glad you clarified that…actually I used to confuse our chickens all the time as a kid. Regardless of who it was though congratulations!!! And yes – very satisfying indeed.
Oh my…your turmeric and ginger are absolutely gorgeous! What an interesting variety you have coming out of the garden this week! I was happy to see the chard because I really was getting a bit confused 😉
It is odd to be harvesting things I associate with warm weather when its really quite chilly here.
I know turmeric only as a dry powder so interesting to see the real thing. Lovely and varied harvest you have there!
It is interesting – I am wondering how they dry it.
Wow those little chilies are beautiful, and the chard is such a fantastic contrast! 😀
Looking good!
I do love my little chillies I have to say.
You have the makings of some very good eating in your harvest this week. I am trying to grow out some ginger in a container in the greenhouse but after a long wait I still have nothing to show for it yet. I have a feeling our climate is just too cool even with the passive solar of the greenhouse.
Hmm – I would have thought it should have shown some sign of life by now, having said that I do know mine was very very slow to get going.
The turmeric looks like nothing so much as a plate full of grubs…I didn’t know it was a root. But then, I didn’t know curry is a leaf.
Ah well curry is and isn’t a leaf – it all depends on what you call curry. These leaves are called curry leaves because they taste of curry, but curry itself is usually a mixture of spices. Indian curries tend to be based around spice mixes containing cumin & coriander amongst other spices. That is a huge generalisation as the spices used vary greatly from dish to dish.
Nice ginger, turmeric and chilies. I’m familiar with powdered turmeric but what do you do with the fresh rhizomes? I have never seen it in the stores around here and wouldn’t know what to do with if I did have some.
I use it in much the same way I would use fresh ginger – usually grated or whizzed into a curry/stir fry paste.
Gorgeous looking turmeric as well as ginger — are the dark rhizomes in both pix the original ones?
I think so, its hard to tell – I wished I’d photographed it before putting it in the pot but I think so.
I have some ginger growing but haven’t been able to get any tumeric root yet. Yours looks great.
Hope your ginger goes well. I got my turmeric from a specialist supplier with a pretty high price tag but its definitely been fun to grow.
All my favorite ingredients!! I’m suddenly craving some good Indian food.
Given curry is the only thing I cook that the whole family will eat I think I will be cooking a lot more of it.
What a great harvest!!! I know I said I was jealous of your weather all winter (summer for you) well now I’m jealous again. We have had a week in the upper 90’s with a few days over 100 and now I’m longing for cooler weather again!!!
We always want what we can’t have I find. Although today is lovely and sunny it has been dull and wet here recently so I for one would prefer the heat.
Liz, how hot are those “Cardinals Cap” style chillis? (Or whatever you call them.) Are they just good-looking or are they worth growing for their flavour and heat?
I really like these chillies – they are medium/mild heat perfect for making sambal I find. They are also quite sweet which is nice.
Nice varied harvest this week, the tumeric is beautiful. I try to grow it once, but the rhizomes never sprouted, I think they were sprayed to prevent sprouting.
Ahhh possibly – I bought my rhizomes from an organic seed supplier – they weren’t cheap but they did sprout.
Ooh, that lentil and kale dish sounds good. I make something similar, but without bacon. Maybe I should think about adding some bacon next time!
I always hate to see the warm season crops go too. Though we preserve a lot of them, it’s so nice to have them fresh. Though the tamarillo would be a bit of a stretch for us. Chilis are another story, and I have lots of them setting on about now.
I have to say I would have mae it without bacon but then I thought of the whinging that would accompany a meatless dish so I whacked it in – it was good though and I’d definitely put it in again next time.
Fresh turmeric, how interesting, I’ve never tried it. I have a similar looking chile pepper that is completely sweet (usually) and very flavorful. I like to make them into refrigerator pickles. The lentil, bacon, kale braise sounds delicious.
Its the first time I’ve made that braise and I’ve just finished off the left overs for lunch today – really, really good! My chilli is medium heat and quite sweet – I really like it.
I had no idea that tumeric was a root…lol
To be fair I didn’t either until I started trying to grow it a few years back.
I am envious of the ginger. I don’t think I’d know what to do with the turmeric though. I’m still getting chillis too-great plant to grow.
I know what you mean about the turmeric – it isn’t really the weather for drying things and although I use it in curries I don’t use it every curry I make.
Are you sure you haven’t relocated to a tropical locale? Very impressive and tasty harvests! I’ve really got to try growing ginger next year.
I reckon it should do really well for you – in fact it would probably be better in your climate than mine.
I really have to get around to making your chicken saag. Maybe this week!
I really like it I have to say, easy and although it tastes different every time its usually pretty good.
Wow! I had never given much thought to where tumeric comes from. I am assuming that fresh tastes different (and better) than the dried stuff that I am used to. Very cool.
It does taste different, fresher, less pungent and brighter somehow. I also quite like it dried but the fresh is really good.
Are you sure you’re gardening in Melbourne Liz? That sure is a more interesting harvest than mine. I’m with L, I really need to try your chicken saag.
I am slightly addicted to making it – interestingly it tastes a little different every time. The kids actually eating it does add to its attraction significantly.
Look at all that turmeric and ginger, fabulous! I only pulled put the last of my chilli plants yesterday. They really had done a great job. Is yours on its last legs now or still thriving?
Some are on their last legs and some are still going strong – one of my long cayenne plants is producing its second crop of the season and I reckon they will still ripen.
Harvesting still going strong then we are still a bit restricted.
Beautiful harvests. I always think about trying to grow ginger as I love it so much. But so far I’ve been too afraid to try it. It is one of those things that just doesn’t grow up north. I’d try it in a pot and bring it in but still it would be a lot of effort.
You can grow it as an annual provided you get at least 6 months of warm weather. I planted mine in Spring and the shoots appeared in early summer and as you can see I’m harvesting now.
Liz, beautiful harvest. Now, if you forgive my question, how do you use turmeric? I know there is some way to cook it and then make that famous turmeric powder. But can you eat it raw?
Its dried and then ground to make the powder otherwise its used like ginger – usually ground in a mortar and pestle (or food processor) to become part of a curry or stir fry paste. I haven’t come across uses for it raw.
I’m jealous of all the fun things you can grow!
We are blessed with a very pleasant climate…