Ingredients :

• Turmeric — This is what gives it the color and most of the character. In powder form, it’s easier to dose — a well-packed teaspoon for two cups is perfect. If you have fresh turmeric root (it looks like ginger but smaller and more yellow), grate a piece about two centimeters long: the taste is sharper, less earthy, with an almost citrusy note. Warning: it stains everything it touches, including fingers.
• Bay leaves — Two or three dried leaves are enough. The bay leaf doesn’t dominate — it’s there in the background, rounding off the edges of the turmeric and bringing a light camphor note that makes the whole blend more complex. Avoid leaves that have been hanging around in your cupboard for three years and no longer smell like anything when rubbed between your fingers: dried bay leaves should be replaced.
• Coriander seeds — Not the fresh leaves — dried seeds are very different. They smell of lemon and flowers, much more subtle than the leaves. Use a whole teaspoon. If you crush them slightly between your palms before throwing them into the water, you’ll hear that little dry crack and release twice as much aroma. Optional, but really worth the gesture.
• Honey — Optional, but honestly, it changes everything for those who find turmeric a little too direct. A neutral honey like acacia so as not to overwhelm the spices, or a wildflower honey if you want a more fragrant version. Absolute rule: always add it after straining the infusion, never during cooking — heat destroys some of its aromas and that would be a shame.