Cooking with Ginger
Fresh ginger is a versatile ingredient that can be used in dishes, drinks, desserts, and even as a medicine. If you are just beginning to cook at home, this root may look intimidating at first. Its skin is very fine and can be difficult to peel, but if you are finely chopping your ginger to mix in with other ingredients, you can leave the skin on. There are different forms of ginger that you can use in your cooking.
Flavor Pairings: Ginger offers dishes a hint of fresh spice that goes well with warm aromatic spices like cumin and cinnamon. Another tasty pairing is turmeric, like in this Carrot Ginger Turmeric Soup with Chicken and Rice.
Peeling Ginger: You only need to peel ginger if the skin does not look fresh, if you are using the ginger for aesthetic purposes, or dicing it into large chunks. To peel, you can use a potato peeler, or opt for the spoon method. Simply use the edge of a spoon to scrape the skin of the ginger in downward strokes. This will delicately remove the skin without taking too much of the ginger with it! Alternatively, you can keep the skin on with grated ginger, especially for marinades like in this Honey-Ginger Baked Salmon with Jasmine Rice.
Fresh vs. Ground Ginger: While this recipe calls for ground ginger, a powdered spice, you can replace it by using fresh ginger. You will have to use 1 tablespoon of fresh ginger for every ¼ teaspoon of ground ginger, as the powdered form is more concentrated.
Opt for Tofu Instead
To make this recipe vegan, simply replace the chicken with your favorite plant-based alternative like tofu! When buying tofu for a bowl or stir-fry, like this Sesame Tofu Stir Fry make sure you buy extra-firm tofu so it holds its shape when cooking. For best results, drain your tofu and press it to get rid of as much moisture as possible. This will allow any seasonings and sauces you marinate it with to soak up easier, giving it more flavor.
