Make the most of fresh ginger, sweet and peppery

FRESH ginger is small and humble, but what it lacks in appearance and grandeur, it makes up for in personality.

A little of the homely root goes a long way. Just a teaspoon or tablespoon of fresh ginger will add its signature sharp flavour that boasts sweet, peppery and citrusy notes all at once.

Ginger makes an appearance in cuisines all across the world in a wide array of sweet and savoury dishes.

How to buy fresh ginger

Look for ginger root with smooth, not wrinkled, skin and a fresh, spicy fragrance. Avoid the soft or mouldy.

If you’re shopping at a farmers’ market or Asian grocery store, you may come across baby, or young, ginger. Its lack of stringy fibres makes it a dream to work with, and there’s no need to peel it either.

How to store fresh ginger

Tightly wrapped, ginger can be refrigerated for up to 3 weeks. Another option is to put peeled ginger in a lidded glass jar and cover with dry sherry or Madeira. The wine will impart some of its flavour to the ginger, but you can also use the wine in cooking.

My favourite storage method is freezing because I think frozen ginger is so much easier to work with. Cut the root into 2.5cm to 5cm pieces (peeled or unpeeled) and place in a resealable bag, then freeze. It can be used right out of the freezer or after a few minutes of thawing on the counter.

How to prep fresh ginger

Trim the ends of ginger root because they tend to be a little dried out. Use the edge of a spoon to scrape off the skin. You can use a knife, but odds are you’ll take off more of the flesh than you want, and if you’re working with a frozen chunk, you risk the blade slipping.

After that, you have several options: grating, slicing into coins, mincing or cutting into matchsticks (julienne), depending on the recipe. Pay attention before you start cutting.

Ginger should be sliced against the grain because it has long fibres running through it lengthwise that can be chewy and stringy. If you cut against the grain, perpendicular rather than parallel to the fibres, you cut those long fibres into more manageable pieces.

Some recipes may also have you crush pieces of ginger – use the side of the knife and a firm whack with the heel of your hand.

How to grate fresh ginger

Especially if you’re pulling ginger out of the freezer, grating it on a rasp grater is a breeze. Frankly, I’ve never had great luck using a box grater for ginger, regardless of the size holes I’ve tried.

How to use fresh ginger

Ginger root appears in a wide variety of global cuisines and dishes, whether savoury or sweet. Its bold flavour makes it a standby, along with garlic, for many Asian dishes, especially stir-fries. Cut into chunks or coins, it can infuse soup broth or a head-clearing tea when you’re under the weather. Steep it in simple syrup for a throat remedy, drink mixer, or ice cream, pancake or fruit salad topping.

Blend it into a punchy dressing to adorn greens or grilled proteins. Naturally, it’s a staple in baked goods, often paired with dried ginger and sweet, chewy crystallised (candied) ginger. |