Ginger is undoubtedly one of the most versatile culinary spices that could add a unique flavor to many of our favorite dishes. So, in this article, let’s see some great ways to use ginger at home.
Coming as a fresh rhizome or a powdered/ground/dried spice, ginger can be helpful in many ways. They are:
- To flavor soups and broths
- In salads, dressings, and vinaigrettes
- To incorporate into dips and sauces
- In making sweets and desserts
- In making beverages
- To incorporate into dry rubs, wet rubs, and marinades
- Added to pancake doughs and other savory baked goods
- In making salsa, chutney, and fruit salads
- Used as an ingredient in Asian folk medicine
So, read along to discover the depth of flavor this miraculous spice could add to our recipes.
09 Amazing Ways To Use Ginger
Ginger is a wonderful spice that could add a striking zest to our foods, along with a bunch of health benefits. The unique flavor profile and the pungent, appealing aroma of this spice complement a wide range of dishes, whether savory or sweet.
Ginger is widely used in Asian cuisine, and now it has started to take over Western cuisine, especially when it comes to baking and fancy yet healthy beverages.
So, we hope to discuss the best ways to use this spice in your kitchen and see how you could incorporate this with your next dish.
01- To Flavor Soups And Broths
The divine flavor notes of ginger essentially intensify when incorporated into liquids. Most of the time, the fresh ginger rhizome is either minced, chopped, sliced, or grated to be combined with rich soups or broths.
Most Asian-inspired soups like Chicken Pho, Miso Noodle Soup, Butternut And Ginger Congee, Asian Ginger Fish Soup, etc., include this spice. They are paired with many elements, including chicken, noodles, root vegetables and other hearty ingredients.
Fresh ginger also complements many herbs and goes with the subtle sweetness of vegetables like carrots and sweet potatoes. To ramp up the flavor, you can also add a dash of freshly minced ginger to your classic egg drop soup.
02- In Salads, Dressings, And Vinaigrettes
The best thing about this spice is that its pungency does not diminish no matter what form we use. The fresh rhizome is an amazing supplementary flavor to many signature salads like:
- Grilled Asian Chicken Pasta Salad
- Spicy Beef Salad
- Watermelon and Spinach Salad
- Warm Apple & Pistachio Spinach Salad
- Chinese Chicken Salad
Ground or minced ginger can also be used to make zesty salad dressings and vinaigrettes, followed up with ingredients like orange juice, maple syrup, honey, sesame oil, dijon mustard, olive oil, etc. They can be used with both cold and cooked salads.
03- To Incorporate Into Dips And Sauces
Our topic leader is an integral part of many delicious sauces and dips. If you have been to a famous Japanese steakhouse, you could never forget the taste of the Ginger Sauce they serve with the steak.
This spice is often paired with garlic, soy sauce, scallions, onions, vinegar, sugar, and sesame oil when making sauces. And when making dips, ginger backs up the taste of cream-based dips, which can be used to serve with fresh vegetables, seafood, and chips.
04- In Making Sweets And Desserts
Ginger is the ultimate dessert spice of the season! While Asian cuisine traditionally uses this spice for curries and soups, Western cuisine makes use of this in most of its desserts and sweets.
Our topic leader pairs perfectly well with other spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and cloves. It also goes with chocolate, mint, orange, apples, pears, etc. Gingerbread is obviously the most popular dessert of the season, and there are many sweet treats made using gingerbread as the main ingredient.
Some of those desserts are:
- Gingerbread cake
- Gingerbread truffles
- Gingerbread Whoopie Pies
- Gingerbread Cheesecake Trifle
- Gingerbread Fudge
Ginger toffees, crystallized ginger, and ginger-infused chocolates are also available in stores. In addition, the fresh ginger rhizome is also used in making jelly and jam.
05- In Making Beverages
Although the most popular addition of ginger in beverages is making ginger tea and ginger ale, did you know it could also be used in many other delicious drinks? Our topic leader contributes to many healthy beverages combined with ingredients like turmeric, cinnamon, lemon, and honey.
At the same time, it also makes fancy drinks like Gingerbread Latte, Gingerbread Caramel Milkshake, Ginger Spritzer, Ginger Ice Tea, etc. Moreover, ginger syrup is used to make cocktails like:
- Sparkling Ginger Cocktail
- Vodka Ginger Cocktail
- Ginger Martini Cocktail
- Moscow Mule
- Ginger Smash
06- To Incorporate Into Dry Rubs, Wet Rubs, And Marinades
Ground ginger is often paired with garlic powder and onion powder in many dry and wet rubs made to grill meat and seafood. Finely chopped or minced fresh ginger rhizomes are mostly incorporated into marinades for optimized pungency. The trio- ginger, garlic, and onion, when mixed with a dash of soy sauce, gives the ultimate Asian punch!
07- Added To Pancake Doughs And Other Savory Baked Goods
If you are bored with classic American pancakes, try a savory Chinese pancake which is made using freshly minced ginger! Chinese Scallion Pancakes are made using dough instead of a batter, and ginger is often combined with flour, sesame oil, green onions, and canola oil.
In addition to this special pancake, you can also use our topic leader when making various stuffings for baked goods like pies, buns, flatbread, and wraps.
08- In Making Salsa, Chutney, And Fruit Salads
Tropical fruits like mango and pineapple pair perfectly with ginger in dishes like salsa and fruit salad. Ginger chutney or Allam Chutney is a popular dish in Andhra Pradesh, India, which is made by incorporating fresh ginger with Chana dhal, Urad dhal, mustard, etc.
When making fruit salad, our topic leader also complements other fruits like watermelon, strawberry, blueberries, lime juice, orange juice, etc. While freshly grated ginger accompanies these fruit salads, the ginger syrup is also used in some recipes.
Holiday desserts with ginger are like the norm of happiness and excitement of the season. The zest almost fills the house with the aroma of love, reminding that the food reunites people
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09- Used As An Ingredient In Asian Folk Medicine
Fresh and dried ginger is a prevalent ingredient in the Asian community (especially among the Indians and Sri Lankans) as folk medicine. They use the fresh juice of ginger rhizome with garlic juice, fresh lime juice, honey, and a pinch of ground black pepper to treat upset stomachs. And fresh ginger is often combined with honey to treat cough and sore throat.
Sri Lankans usually steep some freshly sliced ginger in warm salt water and gargle to alleviate the symptoms of sore throat. It is one of their major home remedies since it has been scientifically proven that ginger contains anti-inflammatory properties, which can reduce inflammation in our bodies.
Wrapping Up With The Best Ways To Use Ginger…
The distinctive flavor and aroma of ginger are utterly versatile enough to complement many dishes in almost every cuisine in the world. Although it originates from a tropical nation, its amazing flavor has the ability to spice up many foods, including meat, seafood, rice, noodles, sweets, beverages, and even helps with Asian folk medicines.
