Ginger Root - How to store/cook/use and recipes

Brush the skin with a very light coating of oil, wrap in plastic wrap. It will keep for about three months. When you need to use it, chop or grate off what you need, rewrap and put back in the freezer. You don't even have to thaw it out.

I have never used ginger root. But I do know how to store ginger root so that you are able to keep it longer. Rachael Rays Thirty Minute Meals is a favorite cooking show of my fiancees. Rachael saids to wrap your ginger root up in some saran wrap and keep in the freezer. It can last in there for months.

I love ginger, but I don't use fresh ginger too often because of this whole storage problem. Recently, I read on another website that you can peel the ginger, grate it, and then freeze it. This way you can just take out a little bit and use it as you please. Okay, I just did a search and here is what I found: http://lunchinabox.net/2007/05/04/speed-technique-freezing-ginger/ I hope this helps.

I don't particularly care for the taste of ginger, but my mother loves it. When she has an upset stomach, she boils some water and adds a little ginger root to make a tea to drink. She says that it works and does settle her stomach. I am not sure how she stores ginger root, but, I know that she buys a lot of it.

from healthrecipes.com Ginger Root and Spice Ginger Root and Spice The roots of the ginger plant have a twisted, gnarled appearance: "a horned object" as aptly described by the Sanskrit word from which the name "ginger" comes. The roots are of immense culinary and health value, whether used fresh or ground to a powdered spice. Ginger Root History Ginger is native to China and India. It appears to have been known to the Babylonians, as it is mentioned in the Talmud. Ginger is known to have been used in China as far back as 400 BC, and is still the single most important flavoring agent in their cuisine. The great traveler Marco Polo gave a glowing account of ginger cultivation in China during the 13th century. The Spanish colonists introduced it to the New World in the 16th century; Jamaica is now the largest producer of Ginger in the Western Hemisphere. In the United States, it is grown in some parts of Florida. Ginger in Cooking Ginger has a spicy, peppery taste and aroma, and gives a sense of warmth when consumed. Ginger is used fresh in Chinese and Indian meat and fish dishes, vegetables, beans, curries and stews. In Western cultures, it is used mostly as spice to flavor sweet preparations such as gingerbread, cookies, cakes, pies and pudding, and also to season some chicken dishes and meat stews. It is also important as a beverage flavoring; for example, ginger ale, which requires no introduction, originated in English taverns in the 19th century, where ginger powder was available for customers to sprinkle on their drinks. Health Benefits of Ginger Root In traditional folk medicine, ginger has been popularly used as a cure for stomach pain, indigestion, diarrhea, malaria and fever. More than half of all Chinese herbal medicines contain an extract of ginger in them. In Indian traditional medicine, it is considered to possess memory-strengthening and aphrodisiacal qualities. Modern research has established that garlic promotes production of digestive juices, stimulates circulation of blood and prevents the occurrence of motion sickness and vomiting. In older people, regular intake of ginger supplements can also provide relief from joint pain and inflammation. References: http://www.theepicentre.com/Spices/ginger.html http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=72 Growing and Using Herbs and Spices by Milo Miloradovich Botanical Medicines: The Desk Reference for Major Herbal Supplements by Dennis J McKenna, Kerry Hughes, Kenneth Jones