What's in this Thai ground chicken that made me run from the stove?

[atikovi]

Tasted great.

 

[PandaBear]

Yeah, it permeates all fabrics - the house smells for days and weeks afterwards.

I try to politely ask my wife to cook that kind of stuff on the patio instead, but I feel bad when it's 10 F outside.

That got to be the turmeric. If you are not used to it and enter an Indian friend's house you will notice the smell right away.