How to Prepare Fresh Ginger Root

Fresh ginger rhizome has many health benefits.

Commonly considered a root, the ginger rhizome is, in fact, not a root. The ginger used for medicinal and culinary purposes is the underground stem, or rhizome, of the ginger plant. Fresh ginger you purchased or grew is way more flavorful and medicinally effective than the powdered form often sold in retail stores. Add fresh ginger to Asian dishes or use it to treat upset stomachs and swelling and pain associated with arthritis. Preparing fresh ginger for whatever use you wish is an easy way to reap the many benefits of this potent rhizome.

Things You'll Need

• Fresh ginger rhizome
• Forked trowel
• Pruning shears
• Clean water
• Lint-free cloth
• Sharp knife
• Vegetable peeler
• Mandoline
• Lemonade
• Hot water
• Kitchen strainer

Instructions

1. Dig the fresh, mature ginger rhizome out from the ground with a forked trowel. Snip the top roots off with a sharp pair of pruning shears. If ginger is available locally, purchase it fresh from the local market if you do not grow your own. Make sure to choose firm ginger rhizomes with smooth skin and free of any mold.

2. Store the unpeeled ginger in the freezer for six months or in the refrigerator for three weeks if you do not plan to prepare it right away.

3. Wash the ginger rhizome under clean running water to remove any dirt or debris on the skin. Use a lint-free cloth to dry the ginger.

4. Cut the ginger into individual "fingers" with a sharp knife. Cutting the ginger rhizome into separate pieces will make peeling much easier.

5. Peel all the brown or yellow skin from each piece of ginger rhizome with a vegetable peeler.

6. Place larger pieces of ginger on a mandoline, and shred it to a fine consistency. Mandolines are used in the kitchen to make uniform, julienne shreds of food. Use this shredded ginger in Asian dishes to add a spicy, pungent flavor.

7. Use the sharp knife to chop and mince the remaining ginger pieces to add to lemonade or steeped in hot water for use in making ginger tea, which helps relieve motion sickness and upset stomachs. Strain the ginger pieces from the hot water with a kitchen strainer, and add honey or lemon to flavor the tea.

Tips & Warnings

• Never use anything for medicinal purposes before consulting your doctor. People with high risks of abnormal bleeding and those who are pregnant should not take ginger in high doses.

References

• The World's Healthiest Foods: Ginger
• Iowa State University: Ginger Root