Many moons ago, I worked with Bruce Cost at the now-shuttered Monsoon restaurant in San Francisco. Bruce is an amazing Asian cook and I’ve rarely had better Chinese food than what came out of his wok. Early on, he prompted me to make a sharp, gingery syrup that we could serve at the bar, as an elixir, mixed with fresh lime juice and sparkling water. And although the customers loved it, the reason I later found out why I was going through so much ginger syrup every week was that the staff liked it even more.
In Australia, I remember seeing big bins of fresh ginger in the supermarket (I always try to go to a supermarket in a foreign country – it’s one of my favorite things to do.) And when I was telling some Australians how intriguing it was how they’ve adopted Asian ingredients, like fresh ginger, into their cuisine, a few looked at me kind of funny,and said that they considered fresh ginger just be to an ingredient they happened to use frequently – not necessarily Asian.
I love fresh ginger, especially in desserts, since it seems to compliment – and contrast – other flavors so nicely. It’s especially welcome with things that tend to be sweet; white chocolate, tropical fruits, and peaches all come to mind. And I always try to keep fresh ginger on hand, stocking up whenever I’m at an Asian market in Paris, since it lasts for a while. It also freezes well, and some people grate, roll it into a tube, then freeze it for later, and they can just break off a portion easily when they need it.
Whenever I don’t feel well, especially when felled by the infamous la gastro, I always crave a glass of ginger ale. I don’t keep soda in stock because I’m not a big soda-drinker. (However when faced with a bottle of ginger ale or ginger beer, all bets are off.) But when I’m lying in bed, nearly unable to move, I always regret not keeping a bottle on hand. (Which, of course, I would drink just because it was there. So I don’t.)
In France, although it’s not very traditional to drink soda with meals, it’s become much more commonplace. And when a friend was coming for dinner and told me he couldn’t drink alcohol because he was taking a round of medication, I simmered up a batch of ginger syrup for him, so he wouldn’t look at my constantly refilled (and emptied) wine glass so longingly.
My strategy kind of worked, except that I drank most of the syrup myself before the dinner and had to make more. Which wasn’t such a bad thing since I am pretty well stocked on fresh ginger. And I hope I can keep myself well-stocked with ginger syrup, too.
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I don’t automatically peel ginger; if you choose not to, it will give the syrup a slightly darker color, which I don’t mind. If you wish to peel it, you can. The leftover ginger can be added to a batch of marmalade, or patted dry and chopped further, then added to just-churned ice cream or gingersnap cookie dough. If you plan to reuse it, you should peel it before making the syrup with it.This syrup is quite spicy and if you find it a bit too zippy and want to tone it down, the next time you make it (or the first time) you can blanch the chopped ginger first in boiling water, let it simmer for a couple of minutes, then drain it and proceed with the recipe.
8ounces (225g)fresh ginger, unpeeled
4cups (1L)water
2cups (400g)sugar
pinchsalt
Cut the ginger into thin slices. Run a knife over it to chop it into rough, smaller pieces. (As shown in the post.)
Place the ginger along with the water, sugar, and salt in a nonreactive saucepan. Heat to a boil, then reduce the heat to a steady simmer, and cook for 45 minutes to one hour.
Let cool, then strain the syrup through a fine-mesh strainer. Store the strained syrup in the refrigerator, covered, until ready to use. The syrup should keep for at least two weeks under refrigeration.
Notes
To make ginger soda: Fill glasses 1/3rd full with syrup and add a generous squeeze of fresh lemon or lime juice. Fill the glasses with ice then top with sparkling water or tonic water (or a not-too-sweet citrus soda). Stir gently to mix the ingredients and garnish with a round of citrus or fresh mint.
Other Uses: You could also make a terrific co*cktail with this as a base, using bourbon, whiskey, or rum. Another possibility is to use a few spoonfuls of this syrup to sweeten iced tea or drizzle over a fruit salad.
Ginger is a warming, decongesting herb that is beneficial for colds and flus, respiratory congestion, and sore throats (Gladstar 2012). It is anti-inflammatory and anti-viral, which makes it one of our top 5 kitchen herbs for cold season.
Add ginger syrup to your ice teas, hot teas, fruit salads, ice cream sundaes, morning porridge, and any other food or drink that can use a hint of ginger. It can also be added to savory dishes, such as stir-fries, baked chicken, roasted carrots, to name a few.
The terms “candied” and “crystallized” are typically used interchangeably. If a distinction is made, the term candied refers to ginger stored in the simple syrup and crystallized ginger means the version cooked in the sweet syrup and rolled in sugar.
When taken by mouth: Ginger is likely safe. It can cause mild side effects including heartburn, diarrhea, burping, and general stomach discomfort. Taking higher doses of 5 grams daily increases the risk for side effects.
Eating ginger every day may help lower "bad" or low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels in the body. In one study, taking 5 grams of ginger a day for almost 5 months was linked with lowering LDL cholesterol an average of 30 points.
How do you know if your ginger syrup has gone bad? When stored chilled in the refrigerator in an airtight container, ginger syrup will stay fresh for up to 3 weeks. To know if it's time to toss your ginger syrup and make a new batch, look for cues including any surface mold, an off or sour smell, or crystallization.
Other visual cues that indicate it's time to toss the ginger include blemishes or mold on the exterior or cut ends, or a discolored interior (dark yellow, brown, gray cast) when sliced. Texture: Fresh ginger is firm, so if it's soft or mushy to the touch, it's a tell-tale sign that the ginger has gone bad.
Gingerol undergoes another change during the dehydration process, transforming into the compound shogaol. This causes the spice level to double. So if you really enjoy the burn of fresh ginger and want even more, dehydrate your ginger and mince it or even grind it for an extremely potent and powerful flavoring.
Ginger water is often included in herbal remedies for conditions like bloating and upset stomachs. For people who don't like to eat a lot of ginger, ginger water can be an easy way to get the health benefits of this spice. Especially if you have nausea, it may be more appealing to drink ginger than to eat it.
"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]." Dana emphasized that the peel should be washed thoroughly before you use it, just like any produce with edible skin.
Ginger is safe to eat daily, but experts recommend limiting yourself to 3 to 4 grams a day — stick to 1 gram daily if you're pregnant. Taking more than 6 grams of ginger a day has been proven to cause gastrointestinal issues such as reflux, heartburn and diarrhea.
It is also proven to boost one's health due to its medicinal value. Millions of people the world over swear by the healing power of ginger. You can eat it whole, ground, cooked or raw. Ginger is a spicy root that has proven to be an effective natural remedy for some common diseases.
Ginger tea is a healthier alternative to ginger ale, ginger beer and other commercial canned or bottled ginger beverages. These drinks provide ginger's benefits, but many contain a lot of sugar. It may be better to limit these to occasional treats or choose sugar-free options.
Genetics, namely two copies of the MC1R gene, can put people with red hair at a higher risk of skin cancer. They may also be at a higher risk of developing colorectal, ovarian, or cervical cancers. Redheads may also be at increased risk for Parkinson's disease, sunburn, and aging-related skin changes.
Ginger Chia water is a natural remedy for weight loss and reducing inflammation and discomfort. The reason why experts suggest drinking this lukewarm detox water is because it naturally helps in targeting belly fat and also helps in reducing water weight and inflammation.
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