Knowing how to choose fresh, tasty, and spicy ginger requires some expertise. Long-time ginger farmers provide their insights below.
Ginger, like onions and garlic, is a popular household ingredient. It improves the flavor of any food and acts as a natural treatment for health. Ginger is quite flexible in the kitchen, whether eradicating unwanted odors or adding a fragrant touch, making it a must-have in many homes.
1. Select Based on Ginger’s color.
Generally, high-quality ginger has a rough, uneven surface. If you lightly scrape its skin with your fingernail, you’ll see a distinct difference between the outer layer and the flesh within, indicating that the ginger is fresh and tasty.
If the ginger’s skin is smooth and yellow, and scraping it reveals meat that nearly matches the skin color, it’s probably less spicy and fragrant.
2. Choose Based on Ginger’s Aroma
Fresh ginger has a pungent, spicy scent, which is indicative of high-quality ginger. Scraping the skin and finding simply a light aroma or less spicy suggests lesser quality. Avoid ginger with an odd or unpleasant odor, since it may be ruined.
3. Avoid Ginger with Sprouts
Sprouted ginger has inferior flavor and quality. Sprouted ginger tends to be dry, shriveled, and lacks the vibrant taste of fresh ginger. When shopping, avoid ginger with visible sprouts.
4. Choose Based on Size
Some ginger types have big roots that are smooth and glossy. Smaller ginger roots, with rough, uneven surfaces and a strong firmness, are typically more delicious and spicy. Prioritize smaller, rough-skinned ginger over larger, smooth ginger.
Using these simple guidelines, you can ensure that the ginger you bring home is fresh, fragrant, and suitable for culinary and health purposes!
