FEW POINTS ON GREAT GINGER

                                                  

Kitchen is a place where varieties of dishes are prepared every day and for that many ingredients are required. Few of them are dry, raw, fresh, cold and hot.  That includes vegetables, fruits, herbs, ghee, oil, butter, cheese, and spices.  One such item in the kitchen, which is used in almost all cuisine is GINGER.

GINGER is used like a spice and also functions like a herb. GINGER belongs to Rhizome family and also called as GINGER ROOT. The benefits of using GINGER in the cooking are: Good taste, flavour, hot &spicy effect, and provides the rich texture and consistency to the dish. That’s why GINGER is used in both cookery and bakery items. GINGER is available in both fresh and dry form.   Powdered dry ginger is generally used while preparing ginger bread, cookies and cakes.

                                             

                                            

GINGER when used in cooking, the skin is first peeled off, chopped and then add to the dish, most of the time ginger is grounded as a paste & add along with other ingredients. GINGER is also added to hot &cold drinks.  MASALA CHAI or ADRAK VALI CHAI is a tea prepared with addition of some GINGER while simmering. 

CHUKKU in Tamil, is the name for DRY-GINGER, with which a special coffee is made and stated that it is good for throat and also enhances voice &tone. Bharatratna awardee Late M.S.Subbulaksmi used to drink CHUKKU COFFEE regularly.

                                               

GINGER pickle is most famous in South India.  ALLAM is the term used for ginger in Telugu. For a dish called PESARATE, ALLAMPACHADI is a great combination and highly relished in ANDHRAPRADESH, INDIA.  INJI THAYIR PACHADI, is a well- known dish in the houses of Tamil Nadu, INJI is name for Ginger in Tamil.   Then comes, the INJIMORAPA,- the name for GINGER CANDY in Tamil. Many consume this candy after completing their lunch. It aids in digestion.

Let’s have a look into the recipe of GINGER CANDY:

1.      Weight & wash ginger in cold running water.

2.      Peel and cut into pieces.

3.      Place the pieces into boiling water, cook till the pieces become soft.

4.      Drain the pieces and add half an amount of sugar required and allow to stand overnight.

5.      Heat the pieces till it reaches 50˚ brix.

6.      Add sugar and citric acid and heat the pieces every alternative day till it reaches 75˚ brix.

7.      Keep the pieces for a week, drain the pieces and dry it in a dehydrator till the pieces are dry and have a film like coating.

8.      Keep in clean and sterilised cans.