"Ginger peel is completely safe to consume," Dana said. "I often slice off coins of unpeeled ginger and steep in hot water for the tastiest ginger tea. The peel may contain more fiber [than the rest of the ginger root]."
You don't need to peel it first, but do rinse it and scrub off any visible dirt. Plan on about using about a one-inch piece of ginger per cup of tea. In a saucepan, combine the ginger with fresh water (use one cup of water per serving).
Ginger is loaded with antioxidants, compounds that prevent stress and damage to your body's DNA. They may help your body fight off chronic diseases like high blood pressure, heart disease, and diseases of the lungs, plus promote healthy aging.
Doses of at least 3 grams of ginger per day seem to be needed.
Ground Ginger
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
- Peel the ginger and slice thinly, about 1/8” thick.
- Place the ginger on sheet pans fitted with a cooling rack.
- Dehydrate in the oven approximately 3 to 4 hours.
- Once dry, remove all from the oven and completely cool.
After you've peeled the ginger, grate it with a handheld grater or on the small holes on a cheese grater. (Ginger is very fibrous. The fibers run from the top to the bottom of the root. Hold the piece of ginger you are grating so that you grate across the grain of the fibers.)
The Garlic Press lets you enjoy the flavor of fresh garlic without the hard work of mincing and without your hands smelling like garlic. You can also use it to mince ginger and horseradish, so you get fantastic flavor in every bite of your favorite recipes.
How to make ginger water at home
- grate 1.5 teaspoons of fresh ginger.
- boil 4 cups of water.
- add the ginger to the water.
- remove the water from the stove.
- allow the ginger to steep for about 5 to 10 minutes.
- strain the liquid to remove ginger pieces.
If you don't have any ground ginger, you can use fresh ginger; you'll just need to use more because ground ginger is more concentrated. For every ¼ tsp. ground ginger, use 1 tsp. fresh grated ginger in recipes.
You can peel, grate or chop it without even defrosting. Although, if you're the type of cook who likes to plan ahead, try peeling and grating the ginger first, then freeze the grated ginger in a log so you can break off just what you need.
Ginger does not always need peeling. It depends on the recipe and your preference. In fact, you can put ginger directly into your food processor and watch it go!
Julienne, allumette, or french cut, is a culinary knife cut in which the food item is cut into long thin strips, similar to matchsticks. Julienne usually applies to vegetables prepared in this way but it can also be applied to the preparation of meat or fish, especially in stir fry techniques.
The information we have on substitutions varies, from 1 tablespoon of grated fresh ginger for each 1/8 teaspoon of ground ginger to 1 teaspoon of minced fresh ginger for each 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger.
Ginger contains natural oils known as gingerols that reduce inflammation and pain. Anti-inflammatory benefits of gingerols can help soothe irritated skin. A recent study found that eating a combination of curcumin (the active ingredient in turmeric) and ginger helped improve the skin's appearance and ability to heal.
Ginger can be used in savory entrees, sweet and spicy desserts and beverages. It's added directly to the pan in some stir-frys, mixed into sauces and added to marinades.
The fibers in ginger run from the top to the bottom of the root. If you grate from the top or the bottom, it's likely your grater will clog. By holding the side against the grating teeth, you're able to avoid the fibers getting caught.
The Microplane Classic Series ZesterThis is the workhorse I've been using for more than a decade. The tiny rectangular metal teeth are super sharp and cut through the ginger root's fibers, rather than separating the flesh and juice from them as with a ceramic grater.
Soak a small amount of vinegar on the cloth and then use it to wipe greasy areas. Just make sure you wipe the cloth in the opposite direction that you would grate your cheese to avoid tearing the cloth. Afterwards, simply rinse the grater with water to remove any vinegary or soapy scents.
The best-known brand of mini-graters, Microplane, sports a shaft of surgical stainless steel that has been photo-etched to produce fine, razor sharp edges. These edges dig in to perform better and won't dull quickly or rust. The steel is attached to an ergonomic handle and is dishwasher safe for easy cleaning.
There's no need to peel your zucchini before shredding, just slice off one end. Then push the zucchini through the large holes of your box grater ($14, Amazon) or plane grater, starting from the top of the grating surface and moving your zucchini to the bottom of the grater.
Slice the onion from pole to pole, discarding the stem. Toss the rings in a bowl to loosen the layers. Peel the onion. Use a cheese grater (keep the root or stem on to use as a handle) or a food processor with the grating attachment (chop off the ends before shredding).
The rhizome (underground part of the stem) is the part commonly used as a spice. It's often called ginger root or, simply, ginger. Ginger can be used fresh, dried, powdered, or as an oil or juice. It's a very common ingredient in recipes.
