About Ginger

Ginger is a uniquely pungent and fragrant spice that can be used in sweet foods as well as savory ones like curry and Oriental meat dishes along with garlic and chiles. The ginger plant is native to Asia and was introduced to the West along the ancient trade routes. European colonists introduced it to the Americas. Although ginger ale is commonly drunk in the United States and Canada, the plant that gives the beverage its flavor doesn't even grow here at all. There is a native plant called wild ginger that grows in the woods in the United States and tastes a lot like ginger but it belongs to a different plant family.

Identification

The scientific name for ginger is zingiber officinale. The Greek word, zingiberis, was imported from Sanskrit, an ancient Indian language. Like many products that are not naturally known to one culture, once introduced, the name for ginger in the new language borrowed from its original name.

Features

Ginger rhizomes sit near the top of the ground and put up a thick leafy stem that grows to about 3 feet tall. Large leaves emerge from the stem, as if unwrapping. The leaves can be anywhere between 6 and 12 inches long. Cones containing rows of individual yellow and purple flowers spike up from the stem. The only part of the plant that we use is the rhizome, a thick bumpy tannish root. It looks a lot like an iris rhizome.

Types

There are several ways to process ginger for food. The rhizome can be dried and then ground. Black ginger is made by scalding the rhizome before drying it. To make white ginger, peel the rhizome first. Then wash and dry it. Preserved, or candied ginger, comes from boiling peeled slices of fresh ginger root in syrup and then rolling them in sugar. Pickled ginger starts with very thin slices of peeled ginger root and is used as a condiment for sushi. You can also buy unprocessed ginger root in grocery stores.

Benefits

Many different recipes use ginger. Powdered ginger goes in gingerbread, ginger snaps and lots of other baked goods. Ginger tea makes a spicy drink which is also used medicinally for an upset stomach. Ginger ale and ginger beer are based on the flavor. Many spicy Asian main dishes include ginger along with curry, cloves and cumin.

Function

Ginger root contains an essential oil. This is collected to be used in both food and the perfume industry. The oil accounts for about 2% of the rhizome by volume.