Ground Ginger
By: Anonymous

About

Ground Ginger is the dried and powdered root of the ginger plant, it has a sharp taste and is a common ingredient in both Chinese and Indian cooking. In the United States it is primarily used in sweeter preparations, such as cookies and cakes. The word ginger comes from Latin and French and means 'body of a horn'.

Information
Other names: Powdered Ginger


Physical Description
Ginger is a tuber that is consumed whole as a delicacy, medicine, or spice. It is the rhizome of the plant Zingiber officinale. It lends its name to its genus and family (Zingiberaceae). Other notable members of this plant family are turmeric, cardamom, and galangal. Fresh ginger is rough in appearance, and light to dark brown and looks somewhat like thick tree or plant roots, hence it's name.
Colors: Light Brown/Dark Brown


Tasting Notes
Flavors: Bitter, Spicy-sweet depending on preparation, 
Mouthfeel: Hot, Fibrous, Sweet-spicy
Food complements: Brown sugar, Chocolate, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Nuts, Honey
Beverage complements: Tea, Sherry
Substitutes: All season, Old bay seasoning. allspice, Nutmeg, Cinnamon


Selecting and Buying
Seasonality: january, february, march, april, may, june, july, august, september, opctober, november, december
Choosing: Most selections of ground ginger found in grocery stores are mostly the same. Different varieties may be found at specialty spice stores.
Buying: You can purchase at your local Grocery Store.
Procuring: India, with over 30% of the global share, now leads in global production of ginger, replacing China, which has slipped to the second position (~20.5%), followed by Indonesia (~12.7%), Nepal (~11.5%) and Nigeria (~10%).


Preparation and Use
For ground ginger, no special cooking tools are needed. Ground ginger can be used to make tea, coffee, hard candy, or added to fruit, meat or vegetable dishes such as the popular Indian dish - Curry.
Cleaning: No cleaning required.


Conserving and Storing
Store in cool, dry place like any other spices.


Social/Political
In countries such as India and China, ginger is used for herbal and medical relief for ailments such as the common cold and headaches. In the U.S., ginger is used to prevent motion and morning sickness.
History: Ginger cultivation began in South Asia and has since spread to East Africa and the Caribbean. It is sometimes called root ginger to distinguish it from other things that share the name ginger.