6 Ways You Can Preserve Ginger

Have you noticed how more often you get fresh ginger root and end up using just some of it in a recipe? Later, you decide that you’re not going to buy any ginger even though more preparations call for ginger because you don’t want to waste any of it? One way you can ensure that you don’t waste any part of this precious stem is by preserving it. It is essential to preserve ginger before it dries up or forms mold. Here are easy ways to preserve ginger:

Freezing

All you have to do is cut ginger into 1-2 inch pieces and freeze them without actually peeling it. This way when you take its portions out to cook, you can always peel the frozen top off and start cooking. A preferred way of freezing it would be to first freeze each piece separately and then put it in a container together. This way, you wouldn’t have to worry about the pieces clumping together and can use only as much as you want.

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Pickling

My favourite way of preserving ginger is to pickle the ginger. This is the Japanese way of keeping the ginger edible for as long as possible. You can cut up the ginger into thin strips and pickle them lightly with vinegar brine. Very often, you’ll notice in Japanese restaurants that ginger is used as a palate cleanser with sushi and sashimi.

Fermenting

Here is a trick for you to turn eating ginger into a fun activity! You can ferment the ginger into naturally carbonated healthy sodas. These sodas would be rich in probiotic bacteria that are not only good for your digestive system but also your immunity in general.

Booze-it Up!

Okay, hear me out. This is the most fun way of making the most of ginger. You can cut up fresh ginger and put these pieces in a clean jar. Once that is done, you can soak them all in dry sherry or brandy. Secure the lid and store it in a cool and dark place for a couple of hours, or days, depending on your urgency. you can top these ginger pieces in cocktails that are compatible with the ginger ale flavour.

Fun tip: you can also use this ginger in any recipe, the alcohol flavour evaporates to let the ginger flavour shine through.

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Add Ginger To Chutneys

One of my favourite ways of keeping ginger for a long time is mixing it up with chutneys and using them as a side portion to my dishes.

Dry Ginger For Baking

This one is for baking enthusiasts. You can mince the ginger into small pieces and spread its shallow layer for the oven to bake it evenly. Once it is fried, you should grind the ginger into a powder and use it in baked goods like ginger cookies or gingerbread.

Make sure that the pieces you cut up initially are small because otherwise, the pieces will be too big for you to grind up effectively. Sinfully yours, a book that is dedicated solely to desserts and baking covers this topic extensively, making baking fun on the way.

Winner of MasterChef season 2, Shipra Khanna is also the author of many cookbooks. She is also well known for hosting different cooking shows.

For more recipes and tips from Shipra Khanna, stay tuned to HerZindagi.