Common Turmeric Stand-ins

• Saffron makes an effective substitute for turmeric. Although extremely expensive, it can be used in a pinch to color a dish yellow. You also can use annatto, an ingredient used to color many food products such as cheddar cheese. Annatto seeds are relatively hard, so you must crack them and soak them in oil to extract the yellow tint. Even though you might wish to use turmeric as a natural coloring for a dessert, you can use flavorless yellow food coloring if it's on hand.