Ginger is a tropical aromatic, pungent spice, commonly used in East Asian and Indian cuisine. Much of the ginger available in grocery stores around the US is travels long distances from Hawaii, Indonesia, China or India. Worried about how far your food travels? We have some creative farmers right here in southern Illinois growing local ginger for the market under plastic high tunnels. Fresh baby ginger will be available at the market now through December and freezes great!
Nutrition fun facts: Ginger has a long history of alleviating stomach pains, nausea, gas, vomiting, and upset stomach. Ginger is a healthy way to reduce morning sickness for expecting mothers. Ginger is also has powerful anti-inflammatory compounds called gingerols, that have been shown to reduce arthritis pain and improve mobility. Adding ginger to tea can also assist with detoxification and improve immunity during cold and flu season.
Storage tips: Fresh ginger should be stored in the fridge, away from light and air that will cause it to cure. Fresh gingers stores well in the freezer. You can freeze ginger whole and grate frozen ginger into recipes. You can also pre-grate the ginger, measure it into tablespoon size portions and freeze on a sheet of parchment paper. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer safe container to add to future recipes.
Preparation tips: Uncured baby ginger does not need to be peeled. Clean all any remaining dirt and grate or chop as specified by the recipe. A microplaner, a very fine grater, works well for grating ginger into soups, sauces, and stews. In absence of a fine grater, simply chop the ginger finely one way, then the other, aiming for small, uniform pieces. The smaller the pieces, the more even the flavor will be incorporated into your dish.
Nutrition fun facts: Ginger has a long history of alleviating stomach pains, nausea, gas, vomiting, and upset stomach. Ginger is a healthy way to reduce morning sickness for expecting mothers. Ginger is also has powerful anti-inflammatory compounds called gingerols, that have been shown to reduce arthritis pain and improve mobility. Adding ginger to tea can also assist with detoxification and improve immunity during cold and flu season.
Storage tips: Fresh ginger should be stored in the fridge, away from light and air that will cause it to cure. Fresh gingers stores well in the freezer. You can freeze ginger whole and grate frozen ginger into recipes. You can also pre-grate the ginger, measure it into tablespoon size portions and freeze on a sheet of parchment paper. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer safe container to add to future recipes.
Preparation tips: Uncured baby ginger does not need to be peeled. Clean all any remaining dirt and grate or chop as specified by the recipe. A microplaner, a very fine grater, works well for grating ginger into soups, sauces, and stews. In absence of a fine grater, simply chop the ginger finely one way, then the other, aiming for small, uniform pieces. The smaller the pieces, the more even the flavor will be incorporated into your dish.
Fresh Ginger Cookies
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Recipe courtesy of River to River Farm | Directions:
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