Ginger

Zingiber officinale

A spice steeped in history, with references dating back as far as 500BC in the writings of Confucius, the Philosopher. Its origin is unsure, but is believed to have been either India or China. Ginger was introduced to Greece and Rome by Arab traders from the Orient, and it is possible that it was brought to Britain by the Romans invading our country. The Arabs continued its introduction to East Africa and in the 13th Century the Portuguese took it to West Africa. Mexico and the West Indies were introduced by the Spanish to this wonderful spice, and the Jamaicans still claim to this day to produce the best quality ginger. Indeed, its spread was so great that by the 14th century it was the most popular spice next to pepper.

The plant is tropical, growing upright, from rhizomes, which are easily divided to increase production. Growing to about 3ft (0.9m), it has spear-shaped leaves and yellow flowers, attractively tinged with purple. Still widely hand-harvested, the plants are ready after about 9 or 10 months.

There is a large call for ground ginger mainly for the UK, Yemen, the USA, Middle East, Singapore and Malaysia. The main cultivation is in China, India, Taiwan, Nigeria, Jamaica and Mauritius, with Australia now producing significant crops.

Ginger has a distinctive lemony fresh aroma when it is cut fresh. For flavour, the Jamaican and Kenyan ginger is most popular; the ginger with darker skin is usually more bitter, for example those grown in India and other African countries.

Used in Oriental and Indian cookery such as stir-fry and curries, fresh ginger is very popular. It can be chopped, shredded, sliced, grated, crushed, bruised, or even baked whole in the oven. It is also found in pickled form and served as an appetiser or used in savoury cooking.

Ginger can be added to a variety of meals including fish and seafood, poultry, meat, vegetables and noodle cuisine, contributing its very recognisable, warming flavour.

Also used in sweet cuisine, such as baking in the western world for gingerbread, ginger snaps, cakes and biscuits, and the popular French Pain d’epices or German Pfeffernusse.

Chutneys and preserves can be enhanced with ginger, and our family particularly love Pumpkin and Ginger Jam as an autumn treat when the weather is turning cold. There is also always a copious supply of refreshing ginger beer for those long days down at the allotment!

Amongst its many medicinal uses, ginger is reputed to have qualities to aid digestion including helping with flatulence and indigestion, as well as assisting with clearing the sight. It is also said to help with poor circulation, and mixed with lemon and other ingredients as a drink to help with coughs and colds.

When buying “fresh root” or “green” ginger you should opt for a “hand” (as they are known) which is plump and silvery skinned – avoid those with wrinkled, dry looking skin which is light in weight or soft, as this is a sign that the ginger has been kept for too long and is past its best. Also be aware of the look of the cut ends, if they are shrivelled, look overly fibrous or even slightly mouldy they should be avoided. The best place to obtain fresh young ginger is a good Oriental food store, but it is possible now to find good ginger in quality supermarkets and greengrocers.

Ground ginger is widely available for use in baking – it should be a fine sandy colour.

An Oriental condiment is pickled ginger – the Chinese pickle their ginger in sweetened vinegar giving a sweet and sour effect which is quite hot to the palate. This is generally used in cooking or eaten as an appetiser. It is possible to find sweet red pickled ginger, which is slightly tangy, but has been artificially coloured. Japanese pickled ginger can be either red or pale and both are used in traditional savoury cuisine, and have a more delicate flavour than the Chinese version.

A firm family favourite of ours is Preserved or Stem ginger – John has preserved ginger for many years and we always have a jar in our fridge for use in sweet dishes, or the syrup trickled over ice cream for a warming boost!

Crystallised ginger is a sweet treat, often used at Christmas time – the ginger is preserved by cooking it in syrup, drying it and rolling it in sugar.