Ginger is something I don’t even have in my spice rack – I everything from all spice to tumeric but no ginger. I figure it only calls for 1 tsp so I throw something else in there instead. But as I’ve discovered through some research is that ginger is more than an ingredient in a recipe, it has loads of health benefits!
Health Benefits of Ginger: Treat morning sickness & motion sickness, proven to reduce colon cancer cells, reduce pain, inflammation and heart burn, menstrual cramp & migraine relief, cold & flu prevention, reduce insulin levels, optimize digestion, & enhance circulation
What to do with Ginger: make ginger tea chop up a teaspoon on ginger and steep it in tea (add brown sugar for additional benefits), ginger paste for adding to cooking, iced ginger tea, & ginger martini. Cook, marinade, bake, & season with ginger. Read more suggestions & recipes of what to do with extra fresh ginger.
Ginger should be peeled before grating as it doesn’t have additional flavour and a tough skin.
Source Epicself.com
How long fresh ginger lasts: Fresh ginger generally lasts up to 2 weeks, but can be extended by storing in the fridge in an airtight bag. You can also chop it up and freeze it for later. Or you can be rebellious storing it in vodka/sherry to extend the life by months. You can tell it is no longer good if it is soft, flimsy, or growing mold.
Did you know that ginger has many names. There are the obvious names like green ginger, yellow ginger, indian ginger, … But what about names like this? Did you know galangal and tumeric are in the same family as ginger?
Honestly if I read one of these words in a cookbook – kra chai, kenur root, geung, shoga – I would skip the recipe or ingredient. So really you need to know there are 6 types of ginger that are available at grocery or asian stores.
- fingerroot = chinese ginger, chinese key, ka chai, kra chai and krachai
- galangal = galanga ginger, greater galangal, greater galigale
- ginger root = gingerroot, ginger, fresh ginger, geung, khing, shoga
- green ginger = spring ginger, new ginger, young ginger, stem ginger, pink ginger, baby ginger
- lesser galangal = kencur root, kentjur root, zedoary
- miyoga = miyoga ginger
- tumeric = fresh tumeric, indian ginger, yellow ginger, mango ginger
Next time you have a strange recipe ingredient, it might not be so unfamiliar afterall.
Switcheroo.com is the source for your nutritional facts, flavours and substitutions for ginger.
Vitality 