Ginger – The wonderful ingredient that not only adds spice and zing to our food, but also a whole array of nutritional and health benefits. Learn how to store ginger properly, so you have it in your refrigerator at all times.
Ginger is a spice that comes with a whole lot of health benefits. Right from curing nausea to a sore throat, it is a great remedy. It also contains gingerol, that has powerful anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Ginger is one of the most delicious and healthiest spices.
It is a staple ingredient in my cooking right from my morning chai to meal prep curry sauce. In fact, Ayurveda calls this spice as “Hridya or the Heart- friendly herb” as it prevents the clogging of arteries and improves blood circulation. Overall, Ginger is a great immunity booster.
I shared before how you can cut ginger in various ways to use in any recipe. In this post, you will learn how to buy and store ginger the right way.
Ginger is known as Adrak in Hindi and it is a must-have spice in Indian cooking. It has a pungent aroma with a woody flavor. Ginger has a slightly brown outer layer with yellow to tan inner flesh. It also has a zesty, sweet yet warm and spicy taste.
Ginger pairs well with a broad range of flavors starting from sweet to spicy. It pairs well with baked goods while giving out an exotic aroma. Also, it adds the right amount of heat and zing in savory dishes. When added to beverages, ginger gives out a spicy and warm flavor that soothes our throats right from the first sip.
Ginger is a gnarled root quite uneven in shape and texture. The hand of ginger has many protrusions as shown in the picture above. The protrusions are usually referred to as knobs of ginger.
Sometimes you might find recipes call for a knob of ginger. Consider it to be about 5 centimeter or 2 inches long. A thumb of ginger is considered about an inch long.
Alternatively, you can also use ginger powder if you are out of fresh ginger. However, you cannot substitute it as an equal measure of fresh ginger. Use about 1/4 teaspoon ginger powder for 1 tablespoon fresh ginger. When cooking you can it them just like you would add the other spice powders.
Recipes calling for a knob of ginger typically mean a two-inch piece, where as a thumb generally means a one-inch piece of ginger.
Where to Buy Ginger?
You can buy ginger at your local Indian grocery store. This is usually sourced from China, and the ginger is bigger in size, than what you might have seen if you grew up in India.
You can also find organic ginger at stores such as Costco, Trader Joes, or Whole Foods. It is quite similar in size and taste to what is used in India. I prefer to get this organic ginger, as it has more zing and flavor to it. There is also the added plus that I can also skip peeling if it is organic ginger root.
I typically buy the large bag of organic ginger from Costco, as I use it a lot in my cooking and morning tea. I use the various ways mentioned below to make sure it stays fresh and can be used for a long time.
Health Benefits of Ginger
Ginger is a spice that has so many wonderful health and medicinal benefits:
- It has anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties
- It helps in alleviating morning sickness and nausea
- Ginger helps in improving digestion and prevents gas build-up
- It is a staple remedy for cold and flu across the world
- It is a good source of anti-oxidants
How To Peel & Mince Ginger
FAQ
What is a substitute for knob ginger?
How much is 1 inch knob of ginger?
What is knob ginger in English?
What can you do with Ginger knobs?
When used medicinally, fresh ginger knobs are most commonly grated or sliced, and then steeped in hot or boiling water to make a fresh ginger tea. Ginger knobs can also be juiced, and the fresh juice may be mixed into other juices, smoothies, or even soups and stews.
How to cook ginger?
For the tea, cut ginger into pieces of approximately two centimeters and place with water in the fire. Let it boil for eight to ten minutes. The proportion varies, but you can use 5 grams for each liter.
How long is a knob of Ginger?
A knob of ginger from a root purchased in a mainstream grocery store will likely be between a 1/2 inch to 2 inches in length. Covered entirely in a papery skin with a light tan color, the ends of the knob will likely be a bit rougher. A knob of ginger on a fresh root can easily be broken off by hand or chopped off with a fresh knife.
How do you know if a ginger Knob is healthy?
Covered entirely in a papery skin with a light tan color, the ends of the knob will likely be a bit rougher. A knob of ginger on a fresh root can easily be broken off by hand or chopped off with a fresh knife. A quarter-cup serving of fresh ginger slices contains only 19 calories, almost no fat, and half a gram of dietary fiber.