East Indian Arrowroot (Curcuma angustifolia), also known as narrow-leaved turmeric or tikur, is a perennial herb in the Zingiberaceae family cultivated primarily for its starchy rhizomes, which yield a fine, easily digestible starch similar to true arrowroot. Found across India and Southeast Asia, it serves as an important source of dietary starch in tribal and rural communities, and its extraction process represents one of the oldest forms of industrial starch production.
• Produces a high-quality starch comparable to true arrowroot (Maranta arundinacea)
• One of several Curcuma species grown specifically for starch rather than spice
• Important in tribal food systems of central and eastern India
• The genus name Curcuma derives from the Arabic "kurkum," meaning yellow (referring to turmeric)
• The species epithet "angustifolia" means "narrow-leaved," distinguishing it from broad-leaved Curcuma species
• Found across central, eastern, and southern India, particularly in the tribal areas of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and Maharashtra
• Also occurs in Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and parts of Southeast Asia
• Has been cultivated by tribal communities in India for centuries as a source of starch
• Used extensively in the traditional Ayurvedic medicine system
• Commercial cultivation occurs primarily in central India
• Grows wild in moist deciduous and semi-evergreen forests
• First described by the German botanist Karl Sigismund Kunth in the early 19th century
Rhizomes:
• Fleshy, cylindrical to ovoid, typically 5 to 10 cm long and 2 to 4 cm in diameter
• Internal flesh is white to pale yellow, starchy, and slightly aromatic
• Produce numerous finger-like storage roots (tubers) that contain the bulk of the harvestable starch
• Tubers are elongated, cylindrical, 5 to 15 cm long, covered with thin brown skin
Leaves:
• Narrowly lanceolate (as indicated by the species epithet), 20 to 40 cm long and 4 to 8 cm wide
• Bright green with a prominent central vein
• Arise directly from the rhizome in a tuft
• Typically 4 to 7 leaves per shoot
Flowers:
• borne on separate flower stalks arising from the rhizome, before or with the leaves
• Inflorescence is a cylindrical spike 8 to 15 cm long
• Bracts are greenish-white to pale pink
• Flowers are pale yellow to white with a prominent lip
Plant Size:
• Leafy shoots 30 to 60 cm tall
• Flowers emerge at ground level on short stalks
• Per 100 g starch flour: approximately 340 kcal (pure carbohydrate)
• Almost pure starch with very low protein, fat, and fiber
• Easily digestible — used traditionally as a weaning food and for invalids
• Gluten-free
• Contains small amounts of calcium, potassium, and iron
• The starch has a low allergenicity
• Provides quick energy due to easily metabolized carbohydrates
• Used medicinally for digestive complaints in Ayurvedic practice
• Curcuminoid content is much lower than in turmeric (C. longa)
Planting:
• Propagated from rhizome pieces with at least one bud
• Plant at the start of the monsoon season, 5 to 8 cm deep
• Space 30 to 40 cm apart in rows 40 to 50 cm apart
Growing:
• Thrives in partial shade to full sun
• Requires well-drained, loamy soil with consistent moisture
• Prefers tropical to warm subtropical conditions
• Plants die back in the dry season; rhizomes remain dormant underground
• Growing season of 6 to 8 months
• Minimal pest and disease problems
Harvest:
• Harvest when leaves yellow and die back, typically 7 to 9 months after planting
• Dig carefully to extract rhizomes and tubers
Processing:
• Wash and peel the tubers
• Grate or crush to release starch
• Wash through fine cloth with water
• Allow starch to settle, then dry in the sun
• Produces a fine, white, silky powder similar to arrowroot starch
Culinary Uses:
• Starch used as a thickening agent for soups, sauces, and puddings
• Traditional weaning food for infants in tribal Indian communities
• Used to make flatbreads and gruels for the sick and elderly
• Made into a sweet porridge with milk and sugar
• Used as a substitute for true arrowroot in cooking
Other Uses:
• Used in Ayurvedic medicine for treating digestive disorders, urinary problems, and fevers
• Applied externally as a poultice for skin conditions and wounds
• The starch has industrial applications in textile sizing and paper making
• Used in the cosmetics industry as a powder base
• The plant is sometimes grown as an ornamental for its attractive flowers
• Important for food security in tribal areas of central India
Anecdote
In the tribal villages of central India, East Indian Arrowroot starch is so trusted as a gentle, healing food that it is the first solid food given to infants — a tradition that has continued for hundreds of years, long before modern baby foods were invented.
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