There are so many different ways to enjoy ginger — from sipping tea to incorporating it into your main dish. Indeed, you can use it to flavor both sweet and savory foods.
When buying ginger for a recipe, it’s healthier to opt for the fresh root rather than the dried, powdered form. You’ll get more of the gingerol that way. The root should be smooth and firm with no shriveling or mold on it. (4) Peel away the brown layer of skin with a vegetable peeler or paring knife, and then slice or chop it any way you’d like.
Use ginger for extra flavor in:
- Marinades for meat and fish
- Asian-inspired stir fry
- Homemade salad dressing
- Soups
- Smoothies
- Sweet potato and carrot dishes
- Tea – boil it in hot water alone or add lemon and a bit of honey
- Cocktails
- Baked desserts
Pickled ginger is often paired with sushi or found in ramen dishes. It also goes well in salads or soups. You can buy it in a jar or make it yourself at home.
If you’re unable to get fresh ginger, the powdered spice will work as a substitute. In this case, the taste and smell will be different, and you’ll want to use less. About ¼ teaspoon of powdered ginger is equal to 1 teaspoon of fresh ginger. (20) Powdered ginger is more commonly used when baking.
How to Use Ginger
Knowing all these health benefits of ginger is great, but how can you easily incorporate ginger in your daily routine? Ginger is pretty spicy, so you may not enjoy its taste. Luckily, there are many options for those who love ginger and those who may be new to the root.
Fresh ginger root: This is the most potent form of ginger, but also the most versatile. You can slice it and steep it in hot water for tea, mince it into stir-fry dishes, juice it, add it to your smoothies, or even take a slice and suck on it! Dried ginger or ginger juice is great for a mid-day snack.
When it comes to uses of ginger root, this spicy ingredient does more than giving a kick to your fruit and veggie juices. You can add grated ginger to marinades and sauces. You can add ginger to your main dishes, soups, or casserole. Sprinkle the crisp shreds ginger over anything you like.
Ground ginger: Ground ginger can be used in similar ways to fresh ginger. It can be steeped in hot water for tea or added to your favorite recipes. Powdered ginger is also great to use for baking.
Ginger capsules: This is the easiest way to get ginger into your diet—especially if you aren’t a fan of the taste! Ginger capsules, or ginger supplements, are simple. The ground ginger powder is added to a capsule for easy consumption at any time of day.
Ginger tea: As mentioned, you can make ginger tea using fresh ginger or ground ginger. But you can also buy ready-to-go ginger to extract tea bags at the store. These are great to have on hand if you feel nauseated or want to settle your stomach after eating.
Ginger chews: Ginger chews are like ginger candies and tend to be milder in flavor and can be taken anywhere. Make sure to check the ingredients to make sure you’re not consuming unwanted ingredients like corn syrup.
Ginger oil: Ginger oil can be taken internally or rubbed topically to treat pain. The ginger essential oil has many soothing properties and is useful to use for massages.
Ginger has many applications in the kitchen and a potent herb with many benefits for your body.