# Cooking with fresh ginger



## cmarchibald (Feb 27, 2011)

Fresh ginger is readily available and very very cheap here.  I use a lot of ginger in my stir fry dishes, but I've never cooked with fresh ginger.  I've only ever used the powdered versions.

Any suggestions for how to prepare it if I want to use it in a stir fry?  How much should I use?  What else can I do with fresh ginger?


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## Bolas De Fraile (Feb 27, 2011)

Peel and store in dry sherry, use the sherry in chinese recipes instead of cooking wine.
Pulp with garlic and onions then fry as a base for curry sauces.
Make ginger beer
Grate on a micro plane mix with black vinegar and sugar as a dipping sauce for War Tip
Stuff a sea bass with chopped smoked ham spring onions, ginger, garlic and wood ears, place on a plate pour some of the ginger sherry over the fish, then steam.


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## CraigC (Feb 27, 2011)

I usually peel it with a spoon, cut it cross wise into pieces and use the flat of a chefs knife to smash it like you would with garlic. then rock the knife blade over it to mince, again like garlic. I've also used a microplane to grate it. How available is galangal there?

Craig


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## mrs.mom (Feb 27, 2011)

My husband likes to cut a small cube of fresh ginger, peel it with a knife and cut it into tiny pieces with a knife. Then he mixes the chopped ginger in his food inside the serving plate. He has been doing this every dinner for almost three years now and he feels healthier with no heaviness after dinner.
I couldn't do this for myself because fresh ginger tastes very hot and I am not a spicy food fan but my husband is.
I have once read in an article that fresh ginger has a substance called gingerol which is an antioxidant and anticancerous substance. So try to add some sliced fresh ginger to any food you cook or fry.


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## Andy M. (Feb 27, 2011)

A strong ginger tea has proven effectiveness as a anti-nausea treatment.  How many of us remember our mom's giving us ginger ale to soothe our stomachs.


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## Selkie (Feb 27, 2011)

It's good stuff for a lot of indigestion type of problems - and yes, Andy, for me, ginger ale still works. I also keep dried pineapple chunks on hand. They can also offer some relief at times.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Feb 27, 2011)

Mandoline your fresh ginger or use a microplane grater.  Put it in anything.  It's good in sweet and savory.


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## joesfolk (Feb 27, 2011)

You can also freeze your ginger to keep it longer.  I freeze mine and find it easier to grate that way.  Sorry I don't have any recipes for you as I mostly use it in stir fry dishes and other Asian based meals an it sounds like you have that front covered.


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## NoraC (Feb 27, 2011)

Ginger and garlic are very good friends. Think about what you make with a lot of garlic and then experiment with adding about 1/3 as much ginger as garlic, chopped to the same consistency. I wouldn't try that with garlic bread, LOL, but with things like pork stews and seafood, you will have a lot of fun and good food to play with.


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## GrillingFool (Feb 27, 2011)

Fresh ginger is generally a lot stronger than the powder.
Mince it, or grate it, or leave it a little bigger for a taste treat!
I add mine to the wok early on in the cooking process so it can develop good
flavor.

You can also make a great "candy" with it... crystallized ginger! Easy to make, really
good!


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## cmarchibald (Feb 28, 2011)

All great advice!  Thanks guys!  I think my handheld garlic mincer will work well to mince it.  I'll try a few things this week and report back with results.


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## cmarchibald (Feb 28, 2011)

mrs.mom said:


> My husband likes to cut a small cube of fresh ginger, peel it with a knife and cut it into tiny pieces with a knife. Then he mixes the chopped ginger in his food inside the serving plate. He has been doing this every dinner for almost three years now and he feels healthier with no heaviness after dinner.
> I couldn't do this for myself because fresh ginger tastes very hot and I am not a spicy food fan but my husband is.
> I have once read in an article that fresh ginger has a substance called gingerol which is an antioxidant and anticancerous substance. So try to add some sliced fresh ginger to any food you cook or fry.


I'm especially excited about trying this one because we both love spicy food and eat lots of stir fries.  I like the idea of the fresh ginger adding a different kind of spice beyond the use of fresh chilis.

I'm going to make a stir fry tonight, I think I'll chop the ginger in strips as I've seen that done in a lot of Thai dishes.


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## cmarchibald (Feb 28, 2011)

joesfolk said:


> You can also freeze your ginger to keep it longer.  I freeze mine and find it easier to grate that way.  Sorry I don't have any recipes for you as I mostly use it in stir fry dishes and other Asian based meals an it sounds like you have that front covered.


I can buy small quantities easily and cheaply so I don't think keeping it would be an issue before it would get used....but I'm intrigued about the effect on grating it.  I will try freezing a portion and give that a try this week.  Thanks!


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## cmarchibald (Feb 28, 2011)

By the way I just peeled all the ginger I bought the other day so I could try a few different things....and now my hands smell looooooovely!


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## powerplantop (Feb 28, 2011)

I use a lot of fresh ginger in stir-frys. I use a spoon to peel it, grate it then put into an air tight container. It keeps for a week to 10 days. If after gratting I have extra I put it on tin foil, roll into a log. Then its put into the frezzer for about one hour. Then I take it out cut the log into small pieces, put in a frezzer bad then back into the frezzer.


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## cmarchibald (Feb 28, 2011)

A couple of you have said you peel it with a spoon.  I tried that first today and it didn't work.  I had to use my carrot peeler for some of it and a super thin paring knife I have for the nooks and crannies.  Not sure if it's the kind of ginger I buy versus what you get, maybe yours is softer?  Or it could be that it was stored in my fridge prior to skinning?


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## cmarchibald (Feb 28, 2011)

By the way, made one of our favorite stir fry dishes tonight using the fresh ginger.  When I've made this one in the past I use COPIOUS amounts of powdered ginger.  I started off with 1/2 as much ginger as I had garlic, taste tested partway through and promptly cut up some more to add.  All in all I'd reckon I used about 3/4 as much ginger as garlic.

Tasted fantastic, though.  Best that dish has ever come out.  Thanks again!


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## powerplantop (Feb 28, 2011)

cmarchibald said:


> A couple of you have said you peel it with a spoon. I tried that first today and it didn't work. I had to use my carrot peeler for some of it and a super thin paring knife I have for the nooks and crannies. Not sure if it's the kind of ginger I buy versus what you get, maybe yours is softer? Or it could be that it was stored in my fridge prior to skinning?


 
I have always done it with fresh ginger.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laSt_xLw1lA


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## GrillingFool (Feb 28, 2011)

You don't really need to peel it. Just give it a wash and a good dry.
Since most of the use will be minced or tiny diced, you won't even notice
the peel.


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## taxlady (Feb 28, 2011)

cmarchibald said:


> A couple of you have said you peel it with a spoon.  I tried that first today and it didn't work.  I had to use my carrot peeler for some of it and a super thin paring knife I have for the nooks and crannies.  Not sure if it's the kind of ginger I buy versus what you get, maybe yours is softer?  Or it could be that it was stored in my fridge prior to skinning?



Your ginger is probably fresher than what we get. Try freezing a bit of ginger and then give peeling with a spoon a try. I find freezing seems to loosen the skin a bit.


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## msmofet (Feb 28, 2011)

I keep a hand in the freezer at all times. I *NEVER* peel it, grate on microplane or shave with a knife while frozen for marinades and stir frys.


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## CWS4322 (Feb 28, 2011)

msmofet said:


> I keep a hand in the freezer at all times. I *NEVER* peel it, grate on microplane or shave with a knife while frozen for marinades and stir frys.


 
I too have it in the freezer at all times. I wrap it in aluminum foil. I never peel it, I use a stainless-steel rasp I got at Lee Valley Tools:

Stainless-Steel Rasp and Zester Holder - Lee Valley Tools


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## Claire (Mar 5, 2011)

I like to peel a hand (whatever) of ginger, cut into 1/2 to 1 inch chunks, put in a mason jar, then cover with sake or vermouth.  It lasts a long, long time,and the liquid can be used in your stir fry sauce (or in a salad dressing).


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## CWS4322 (Mar 5, 2011)

Claire said:


> I like to peel a hand (whatever) of ginger, cut into 1/2 to 1 inch chunks, put in a mason jar, then cover with sake or vermouth. It lasts a long, long time,and the liquid can be used in your stir fry sauce (or in a salad dressing).


 
Oh--cool. I'm going to try that.


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## merstar (Mar 5, 2011)

You can also make ginger syrup and use it over fresh fruit, especially if the fruit doesn't have enough taste - this picks it right up. Here's one I've used many times over fresh melon:
MELONS WITH GINGER SYRUP
Melons with Ginger Syrup - Fine Cooking Recipes, Techniques and Tips

It's also great in marinades for fish, chicken, etc. with garlic, lemon juice and/or orange juice, soy sauce...
In soups, such as Carrot/Ginger soup,  vinaigrettes, and Asian dipping sauces.


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