Prepare Ginger Root For Cooking
Grown primarily in Australia, India, Jamaica, China and Africa, fresh ginger root is available in supermarkets and produce stores all over the world. It is a popular ingredient in many dishes, from Asian stir fries, to soothing teas, to baked goods. You can prepare ginger root for cooking by peeling the skin off it, and then chopping, slicing, grating or mincing it. Start with Step 1 below to learn more about selecting, preparing and using fresh ginger root.
Contents
Steps
Selecting Good-Quality Ginger Root
- Look for plump pieces of ginger root. Look for large pieces of ginger that are moist and heavy for their size. This will give you more ginger to work with.
- Also look for pieces of ginger root that are straight and rectangular in shape, with as few bumps and knobs as possible. This will make them easier to peel and prepare.
- Ginger root can be frozen, unpeeled, for up to 6 months, so do not be afraid to buy more than you need for your current recipe.
- Find firm, unblemished pieces of ginger root. The skin of the ginger root should be firm and unblemished, apart from the rough, dried patch where the piece was cut. You do not want to buy anything that is wrinkled, soft or covered in mold.
- Choose ginger root that smells sharp and strong. Quality ginger will smell peppery or have a slight aroma of citrus. If it's fresh, it should smell pungent and sharp.
Peeling Ginger Root
- Cut off the appropriate amount of ginger. If you're following a particular recipe, use the amount of ginger indicated in the instructions - it is usually quantified in inches, rather than weight or volume.
- Sometimes recipes will call for a "thumb's worth" of ginger, which is exactly what it sounds like: a piece of ginger root the length of your thumb!
- If you're not following a specific recipe, keep in mind that a little bit of ginger goes a long way, so start with a small piece, do a taste test, then add more if you need it.
- Use a metal spoon to gently scrape away the skin. A spoon is the best way to remove the skin from the ginger root as it is quick, easy and avoids wasting any ginger.
- Holding the ginger in one hand and the spoon in the other, use the inside top of the spoon to make firm, downwards strokes along the piece of ginger.
- Dig the spoon over the little nubs that are often found on ginger root. The skin should come off with a gentle scrape, leaving everything else behind.
- Alternatively, use a vegetable peeler or a small paring knife. If you're having trouble with the spoon, you can use a vegetable peeler or small paring knife instead.
- This is perhaps a quicker method of peeling the ginger, but the benefit of using a spoon is that is preserves more of the ginger.
- A vegetable peeler or knife will take off extra layers of ginger with the skin, so only use if you are very dexterous!
- Don't peel the ginger root at all. For many dishes, it's not absolutely necessary to peel the ginger root, especially when you're using younger, fresher, thin-skinned ginger.
- All you have to do is chop or grate the ginger with the skin still on (though you may want to cut off the dried piece at the end) and continue with your recipe.
- However, if you are concerned that ginger skin might interfere with the look or texture of your dish, go ahead and peel it off.
Preparing Ginger Root for Cooking
- Review any recipes you might be following. A soup may call for grated ginger while a stir fry recipe might tell you to chop it into matchsticks.
- Remember that ginger loses its flavor the longer it cooks. So if you really want to take advantage of its taste and smell, add it to your food towards the end of your cooking time. This will preserve its freshness.
- Chop or mince ginger if you want texture as well as flavor. When chopped into matchsticks, ginger is crispy and chewy.
- Small pieces of minced ginger in a pasta or rice will provide bursts of flavor in every bite. Larger pieces are great in soups and teas.
- To chop the ginger, place the root on its side and make thin, coin-shaped slices. Then, stack several coins together and make a number of vertical slices, to make matchsticks.
- Mince the ginger by turning the matchsticks to the side and cutting across them, to form fine cubes. If you like, you can run your knife through the ginger a final time to get rid of any larger lumps.
- Grate ginger when you want to add a strong aroma and fresh flavor to your food. Grating your ginger is quick and easy way to get superfine or even pureed ginger, which makes an excellent addition to tomato sauces or marinades.
- To grate, rub the piece of ginger against a microplane or a cheese grater. This will produce juicy grated ginger that looks and feels like a paste. You may want to grate the ginger over a bowl, to catch any juice.
- Be careful when you get to the end of the ginger, as it can be easy to cut your fingers on the grater. You may need to use a knife to scrape off any ginger that's stuck to the grater.
- Use the ginger in a variety of recipes. Ginger is such a versatile flavor, it is used across a broad array of recipes, from from stir fries and soups to breads and teas. If you're looking for some new ideas on how to use ginger, why not try one of the recipes listed below?
- Make Ginger Tea
- Make Candied Ginger
- Make Ginger Snaps
- Make Ginger Ale
- Make Chicken with Ginger and Spring Onion
- Make Ginger Chutney (Allam Pachadi)
- Make Ginger Garlic Soup
Storing Ginger Root
- Store ginger in the refrigerator. To store ginger in the refrigerator, wrap the ginger root in paper towel, then in plastic and place in the crisper. It should keep for approximately two weeks.
- Keep ginger fresh in the freezer. To store ginger in the freezer, tightly wrap the root in plastic (you can peel it first if you like) and keep it there for up to six months. When you need to use the ginger, you can grate it while it's still frozen. In fact, ginger is easier to work with while frozen as it is less fibrous.
Tips
- Look for recipes that include ginger in your favorite cookbooks, or online at sites such as AllRecipes, Epicurious and Cooking.com.
- Ginger has many amazing health benefits - it fights inflammation, soothes upset stomachs and staves off disease. Drink ginger tea if you're suffering from motion or morning sickness and you'll soon feel much better.
Things You'll Need
- Metal spoon
- Knife
- Peeler
- Microplane
