Ginger

Ginger is available in stores fresh, pickled, candied, dried and ground. Fresh ginger is a creamy beige color, knobbly, hard and has a thin skin. Generally you should peel the ginger before use.  

The exotic and fruity sharpness, spice and freshness of the root is great for soups, meat and vegetables with its unmistakable fragrance. Ginger neutralizes the aroma of fish and seafood and therefore is a great partner to both. 

Dried or powdered ginger smells and tastes different and is a poor substitute for its fresh relative. The drying intensifies the spicy aroma and the spiciness but beware- use it sparingly because if you overdo it your food will have an unpleasant soapy taste. 

When you buy fresh ginger make sure it is juicy, has a shimmering skin and that it has no bruises. 

The easiest method is with a spoon rather than a knife- it will easily take off the skin and get into and nooks and crannies and you will not lose as much of the root itself. You can of course use a knife or a peeler but it is more difficult to get into the corners and you are likely to remove more flesh than if using a spoon. 

In order to chop ginger cut it first into thin slices and then pile them up and cut them into strips. Then turn the strips and chop them into tiny cubes.

If you grate fresh ginger you will produce lots of juice. This is great for dressings and marinades. 

The roots stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to three weeks if you wrap them in kitchen towel and place them into a sealed plastic bag.

TIP

If you want to add ginger to a pumpkin soup for example, it is fine just to wash and chop the unpeeled root.