Ginger root three ways: fresh; dried and ground; and crystalized

On a flavour-to-cost ratio, ginger is one heck of a deal. It’s inexpensive, depending on the form, and just a small amount can add a world of flavour to all sorts of dishes, both savoury and sweet.

Ginger is the tan-coloured, knobby rhizome of a perennial herb officially known as Zingiber officinale. The plant can grow more than a metre tall and when the leaves die, the rhizome, the ginger, is harvested. How the ginger is, or is not, processed determines what form you get.

Fresh ginger

When the rhizomes are harvested and sold as is, you have fresh ginger. When purchasing, look for firm pieces of ginger with fairly smooth skin. If the ginger appears shrivelled or has spongy spots, it’s old or was improperly stored and should be avoided. It will be difficult to peel, cut or grate.

Unpeeled fresh ginger, if placed in a tightly sealed plastic bag, can be kept in your refrigerator crisper for up to three weeks, depending on how fresh it was when purchased. For the freshest ginger taste, though, buy only what you can use in a reasonable length of time.

If, for some reason, you’ve purchased a pile of fresh ginger, it could be placed in a tightly sealed plastic bag and frozen for up to two months.

Another option for longer-term storage is to peel and slice the ginger, place it in a jar, top it with dry sherry or vodka, tightly screw on the lid and place it in the refrigerator, where it will keep for a month or more. If you do store ginger in alcohol or freeze it, keep in mind that both processes will alter its flavour.

Fresh ginger can be used in all sort of recipes; today I’ve mixed it into cranberry sauce and yam stew.

Ground ginger

To make a spice called ground ginger, the rhizome is dried and ground into a powder that has a pleasingly pungent aroma and concentrated ginger taste.

This spice is prone to clumping if improperly stored and exposed to moisture. So keep ground ginger in an airtight container in a cool, dry place and always use a dry measuring spoon when getting some. If properly stored, ground ginger will maintain its lively taste for up to six months.

After that, its flavour will begin to diminish.

Ground ginger can be used in a variety of ways, such as being added to spice blends, stirred into preserves or beaten into cookies. The New Food Lover’s Companion says the flavour of dried, ground ginger is very different from that of its fresh form and is not an appropriate substitute in dishes specifying fresh ginger. I don’t totally agree with that, because when I’m making a stir- fry and am out of fresh ginger, I have sprinkled in some ground ginger and the results were good.

If you do try to substitute ground ginger for fresh, the website of the spice and herb company McCormick (mccormick.com), says a quarter teaspoon of ground ginger equals one teaspoon of grated fresh ginger.

Crystallized ginger

To make this form of ginger, sometimes called candied ginger, the fresh root is peeled, cut into pieces or slices, cooked in syrup and dried. You can make a simple but sweet and spicy holiday confection by dipping and coating pieces, slices or strips of crystallized ginger in melted chocolate and letting it set. Sliced or chopped crystallized ginger can also be used in a variety of other sweet ways, such as cookies, steamed puddings and fruitcake. I’ve also used modest amounts of chopped or sliced crystallized ginger to impart a sweet and spicy taste to savoury dishes, such as soups and curries.

Store crystallized ginger in a tight-sealing jar in a cool, dry place. It will keep for many months.

 Cranberry Sauce With Apricots, Ginger and Currants (more…)