Ginger can be the root of good eating

November 18, 2009

Frank Kourt The Richmond Register Wed Nov 18, 2009, 08:34 AM EST

If money is condemned by some as the root of all evil, ginger can be praised as the root of good taste.

This spicy wonder’s history in the Western world can be traced to Marco Polo, who brought it back from China in the 13th century. It is indigenous to Southeast Asia and also is grown in Jamaica.

The root of the ginger plant is what we use in cooking and it comes in a remarkable variety of forms. The one most of us are familiar with is ground or powdered ginger that is readily available in the spice section of the grocery store and that our moms used in the making of gingerbread cookies.

Ginger, however, also is available in fresh root form in many grocery stores. We also see it in a chunked, dried form and even as candy sold as crystallized ginger, which is basically fresh ginger root cooked in a sweet syrup. The latter is not often used in cooking, but eaten as a sugary treat.

It is a spice which, depending on how it is used and how much is used, can be hot or subtle.

Since it is a native of China, ginger obviously is important in Chinese and other Oriental cooking. Teriyaki sauce, for example, would never be the same without it, as it lends a subtle, but distinctive, taste to this most famous Oriental marinade.

Should you use fresh or dried or powdered ginger in your cooking? It really depends on the use you’re planning to put it to. While some chefs would maintain that only fresh ginger should be used in recipes, that would hardly be practical in making those famous holiday gingerbread houses and/or persons because that’s a place where the dried, powdered version is most useful and practical.

If you do use fresh ginger, just remember to peel it and especially remember that, as with most spices, it takes a lot more of the fresh product to equal the effect of the dried (and therefore concentrated) variety. For example, if you’re planning to use fresh ginger in a recipe that calls for a teaspoon of the ground, powdered variety, plan on using about a dozen chunks cut to about the size of a pea.

The uses of ginger, fresh and otherwise, are limited only by your imagination. The only caveat is to season to taste because this venerable spice can be both hot and overpowering if used to excess.

The following are a few basic recipes in which ginger has a role to get you started. The rest, as always, is up to you!

Basic Teriyaki Sauce

Ingredients:

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 tsp. ground ginger or 5 pieces fresh, finely chopped

1 tsp. sugar or honey

3 cloves crushed garlic

1 T sherry

1 T lemon juice

Preparation:

Combine all the ingredients and use to marinate chicken, steak, lamb or pork. Marinate the meat for at least one hour or overnight, as desired. This adds a magnificent flavor to grilled or broiled meats. Baste the meat frequently with this mixture as it broils in the oven or atop your charcoal grill. The ginger adds a special flavor that could be had nowhere else.

Ginger Cake

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. ground ginger

3/4 tsp. allspice

1/3 cup soft margarine

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

1/2 cup light molasses

1/2 cup milk

Preparation:

Combine flour, salt, baking soda and spices. Cream the margarine until smooth and add the sugar and egg and cream until it is a light, lemony color and fluffy. Add molasses and beat for about two minutes. Add flour and milk gradually, beating all the while, until well blended. Transfer the batter into a greased 9"x9” baking pan and bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes, then turn onto a cake rack and continue to cool. Slice and serve with whipped cream.

Ginger Glaze

This can be used as a glaze on a ham or pork roast. Brush on top of the meat 1/2-1 hour before it is done.

Ingredients:

1 tsp. dried chicken bouillon

1 tsp. honey

3/4 cups water

4 T butter

1 T lemon juice

3/4 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. parsley

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and heat until it begins to thicken, stirring periodically. Brush onto the roast and allow it to brown slightly.

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