How to use herbs and spices in cooking!

Step 14 Ginger.

Ginger can be found fresh in root form, or ground and dried. You can buy it grated or minced in little jars. It's also pickled and dried! It's very versatile.

Ginger is hot, sweet and lemony. When fresh, the inside is very fibrous. Like most of the sweeter herbs and spices, it can be used in sweet and savory dishes.

I love fresh ginger in stir frys, marinades, grated into sugar cookies batter, in muffins, curries, etc. Ground ginger works well in curry powders and other spice mixes, and in general baking.

Instructables user woomyse also gave a really nice tip in the comments:
"When I buy fresh ginger, I get about a pound and give it a quick rinse. Then chop it into the usual size chunks I use for recipes and freeze it. When frozen it also shreds/grates easily."

Comments

[dalecarlile]

Another use for fresh ginger is nausea. A small slice placed in the mouth will calm a queasy stomach. Used to use it when the kids started getting car sick. Sucking on a small slice did the trick in minutes.

[porcupinemamma]

helpful advice JovialOne :0)

[TheJovialOne]

I would recommend to anyone and everyone who plans on using fresh, whole ginger root to obey the following rule: WASH YOUR HANDS THOROUGHLY WHEN FINISHED! The oil that gives ginger root it's flavor is terribly strong. And much like onions or hot peppers (habanero or jalapeno), if you get the oil in your eyes, it hurts really bad. At a catering company I used to work for, I got some oil in my eyes and that day I was wearing my contacts. It was no good. That same week, a new employee got ginger oil on his hands and then went to use the restroom, but didn't wash his hands first. He ended up in the emergency room because the oil got in and on his you-know-what. I love ginger, but like other scary things like guns and/or bears and/or gun-wielding bears, treat them with a healthy amount of respect.