Ginger is a rhizome - it grows underground in tropical
countries - believed to have come from Southern China originally – turmeric and
galangal are closely related to ginger
Ginger was very popular
in Medieval England - not just for cooking but also as a medicine. Henry VIII is said to have used ginger – it
was said that 'ginger helps digestion, warms the stomach,
clears the sight, and is profitable for old men; it heats the joints and is
therefore useful against gout'.
Not only was ginger supposed
to protect you from getting sick it also was meant to improve your loving -
quite a spice!
Fresh ginger tea is used
to deal with nausea and other digestive issues.
For the last few weeks I have been drinking ginger
and lemon tea in the mornings – very nice indeed!
The Sunshine Coast of Australia
is a good producer of ginger - with some great ginger beer as a result - a very
special treat for me!
Very young ginger – when
you can find it – is slightly pink, has a mild taste and doesn't need
peeling. Store young ginger in the
fridge – I actually store all my ginger in the fridge or freezer. You can keep it in your fridge for up to a
month.
Peel fresh ginger
easiest with a teaspoon - sounds weird but it works – give it a go!
If you are going to
grate ginger try freezing it for an hour or 2 first - the end result will be
better
You can use ginger
ground or fresh - the taste will be different – you can also get preserved stem
ginger and candied ginger
Almost all Eastern
dishes include fresh ginger
And what would sushi or
sashimi be without that sliver of pickled ginger!
Ginger and chocolate are
great companions too.
Ground ginger is used in
breads, cakes and biscuits and is
good in marinades for
meat
Try putting slices of
fresh ginger and some whole fresh chillies into a cup of sherry – just let it
sit – and then add it to stir fries or soups.
Apparently in England it
was common to serve powdered ginger with cold melon - a new one on me - will
have to try it
Fresh Ginger goes with:
Asian
greens
|
Basil
|
Beef
|
Chicken
|
Chillies
|
Coconut
milk
|
Coriander
leaves
|
Crabs
|
Cumin
|
Duck
|
Eggplants
|
Figs
|
Fish
|
Fish
sauce
|
Garlic
|
Green
beans
|
Kiwifruit
|
Lemongrass
|
Limes
|
Mint
|
Mushrooms
|
Onions
|
Pork
|
Rice
vinegar
|
Rice
wine
|
Shellfish
|
Soy
sauce
|
Spring
onions
|
Tamarind
|
Turmeric
|
yoghurt
|
|
|
Ground ginger goes with:
Almonds
|
Aniseed
|
Brown
sugar
|
Cinnamon
|
Cloves
|
Honey
|
Nutmeg
|
Raisins
|
treacle
|
Recipe – gingerbread or brandy snaps, ginger crunch
BIBLIOGRAPHY - with thanks to Auckland Libraries
Cook's Encyclopaedia
of Spices by Sallie Morris & Lesley Mackley
Discovering
Vegetables, Herbs & Spices by Susanna Lyle
Spice Market by Jane
Lawson
Spicery by Ian &
Elizabeth Hemphill
Spices & Natural
Flavourings by Jennifer Mulherin
Spices by Sophie
Grigson
Spices Condiments and
Seasonings by Kenneth T Farrell
Spices, Salt and
Aromatics in the English Kitchen by Elizabeth David
The Cook's Companion
by Stephanie Alexander
Next time I will try a spoon to peel my ginger!
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