Turmeric is having a moment—and it's popping up in way more things (soups! drinks! beauty products!) than your chicken tikka masala. But like so many "it girls," turmeric also has a hard-to-say name.

Q: What is the CORRECT pronunciation of turmeric? I heard nine out of 10 TV chefs say “TOO-mer-ic,” but it seems it should be “TER-mer-ic.” — Fran Zielinski, Wyoming, Del. A: You’re largely right.

Many curry spices are old friends — cumin, ginger, cinnamon, mustard, chile pepper. But not the two used most abundantly in the mix: turmeric and coriander. They’re so uncommon in the United States ...