Dyeing Easter eggs with turmeric
Turmeric is not only an inexpensive seasoning for many dishes that can be found in any store, but also a natural food coloring. On the eve of Easter, it's time to remember: to get sunny yellow colors, you can dye eggs with turmeric - quickly, easily and safely.
Getting ready to paint
Turmeric has a fairly persistent pigment. So use an old stainless steel pan. The enamel coating will be mercilessly stained.
We recommend wearing gloves when painting eggs.
Before dipping the eggs into the hot dye solution, you need to warm them up - first remove them from the refrigerator and leave them on the table at room temperature for half an hour to an hour. To speed up the process, you can dip the eggs in warm, but not hot, water.
It is recommended to add a tablespoon of salt to the water. This will keep the protein inside the shell if cracks occur.
To ensure that the paint is evenly distributed over the surface of the egg, degrease the shell in advance with vinegar, alcohol, or simply wash thoroughly with soap and water.
We will need:
- white chicken eggs - 10 pieces;
- water - 1 liter;
- ground turmeric - 1 sachet (20 grams = about 3 tablespoons);
- vinegar - 1 tablespoon (optional).
Preparing “golden” colors
- Pour cold water into the pan and add spices, stirring constantly. Add vinegar to help set the color.
- Bring to a boil. Let it brew for an hour.
- Using a spoon, carefully lower the raw, fat-free eggs into the container until the liquid covers them completely.
- Cook over moderate heat until tender, 10–15 minutes.
- Remove the eggs from the coloring solution with a spoon or slotted spoon, rinse with cold water and dry them on a paper towel. No need to wipe. The pigment covers the shell with a thin layer, and it will easily come off with careless pressure with a napkin or scratching. The paints should dry naturally. To obtain a richer brick yellow hue, leave the eggs in the liquid for a longer time, up to a day, by placing the pan in a cool place.
- Rub the paints with vegetable oil by rolling them in your palms.
Secrets of mastery
Use bright orange spices rather than pale yellow ones. Therefore, it is recommended to purchase them by weight, where the product is presented, as they say, face to face!
Do not turn the eggs with a spoon during cooking - this will leave unsightly marks. It is better to stir the water carefully.
To color brown eggs instead of white ones, double the amount of coloring powder.
Be careful with the seasoning as it can stain anything it comes into contact with. Cover the work surface with paper, oilcloth or newspaper.
You can color your eggs even more interestingly by adding an ornament or design to the shell. To do this, first apply a stencil (it can be a pattern cut out of electrical tape or a leaf of parsley), pack the future paint in a nylon stocking and tighten it tightly with threads. Boil the resulting bags in diluted powder. The protected areas will retain their natural color, but the egg itself will turn yellow.
These are the sunny colors we made for Easter!