Ours is a ginger-obsessed household. I use fresh ginger in everything: pickles, sautes, stir fries, juices, cocktails, rice dishes, curries, breads, desserts.One of my all-time favorite writers, food writer Melissa Clark, shares this passion. She waxes poetic, in an interview, about the root as an ingredient: "Ginger adds a deep, peppery, spicy freshness to dishes — a tang of acid coupled with a musty, rich, profound flavor. I love that combination of zippiness and profundity."
Ground ginger perks up pumpkin pie and, of course, gingerbread. Clark also substitutes ground ginger for cinnamon, making ginger sugar to sprinkle on buttered toast. Ground ginger has a very different flavor profile from fresh ginger: It is less acidic than the root but much more intense.
When buying fresh ginger, look for pieces that are smooth and free of blemishes and wrinkles. It will keep well in the fridge for up to a week. If I buy extra, I grate it, add enough water to make a paste, and freeze it. Many times I will grate it along with garlic and green chilies, making an excellent base for stir-fries and curries.
I use a knife to peel skin off the ginger, though Clark does it the correct way: with a spoon.
Clark shares her top tips for using ginger:
Add it to the blender for your morning fruit smoothie.
Grate it into the Crockpot or Dutch oven for slow-cooked stews.
Add a few slices or "coins" of fresh ginger to homemade chicken broth.
Add slivers of fresh ginger to chicken. Or grate it, combine it with garlic and smear it on fish fillets before cooking.
Ginger does more than enhance taste. It's also good for you. Historically, it has been used to relieve problems with digestion or nausea, including motion sickness and morning sickness. Dr. Wendy Bazilian, author of "The SuperFoods Rx Diet" (Rodale, 2008), told me about research at the University of Rochester, where some cancer patients get 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of fresh grated ginger daily to cope with post-chemo nausea. A couple of studies presented at the American College of Sports Medicine's last annual meeting cited ginger for reducing post-exercise pain and inflammation.
Thai Coconut Curry Soup
The fresh ginger in this soup will inspire a healthy appetite. The recipe comes from "Almost Meatless" (Ten Speed Press, 2009) by Joy Manning and Tara Mataraza Desmond, and is reprinted with permission.
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
• 1/2 teaspoon red curry paste
• 8 cups chicken stock or vegetable broth
• 2 stalks lemongrass, rough tops trimmed and bulbs smashed
• 1 bone-in, skinless chicken breast (about 6 ounces), whole
• 8 ounces uncooked rice noodles
• 2 teaspoons fish sauce
• 5 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
• 5 fresh mint leaves, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 2 green onions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
• 1 lime, half juiced and half cut into wedges
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and ginger and saute for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Stir in the curry paste. Saute briefly, then add the stock, mixing to combine. Add the lemongrass and simmer the mixture for about 10 minutes. Add the chicken and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the internal temperature reads 160 degrees. Transfer the chicken breast to a plate or cutting board.
Meanwhile, add noodles; bring to a boil and cook just until the noodles are tender.
When the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred it into small pieces and return the meat to the pot. Stir in the fish sauce, basil, mint, coconut milk and green onions.Remove the lemongrass and squeeze the lime juice into pot of soup. Ladle soup into bowls, serving each with a wedge of lime. Makes 4 servings.
Per serving: 434 calories; 16 g fat (9 g saturated fat; 33 percent calories from fat); 58 g carbohydrates; 31 mg cholesterol; 568 mg sodium; 17 g protein; 2 g fiber.
