Monday, January 29, 2007

MySpice -- Ginger



Ginger, a important part of my everyday cooking and hence life. Though referred to as a root it is actually a rhizome i.e. it is actually an underground stem of the plant Zingiber officinale. It Originated in China and went over to be cultivated widely in India and Southeast Asia.

Though in the Western World Ginger is most often used used for food that is sweet like ginger cookies etc. for me Ginger is a spice I use with most of my vegetarian and non-vegetarian cooking, even the quintessential curry has ginger as an important ingredient. In her everyday bengali cooking something that my Ma uses most is Jeere-Dhone-Ada bata. And this is a paste that a grinder does not do justice to, it needs loving human hands. The kitchen help who comes in every morning to do the dishes and help my mother knows this and makes wet paste of the three spices Jeera or Cumin, Dhone or Corriander Seeds and Ada or Ginger in the Shil Nora, a stone grinder which has to be seen to be understood. My Ma uses it fresh or at the most for the next day in most of her gravies. And the taste of such food, ahhhhhhh..., there are some things that the heart says better than my keypad...



Ginger in my everyday cuppa is another love relationship I have with Ginger. Ginger Tea or Adrak Chai boosts me early morning and refreshes me after a hard day's work.

How I Do This

Heat water and milk in the ratio of 2 : 1 in a kettle
When it comes to a boil, add freshly grated ginger
Let it come to rolling boil
I like a strong tea, so I add a teaspoon and a little of Brook Bond Red Label tea (this is CTC or crush,tear & curl tea)to it. This tea tastes good flavored with ginger.
Let it soak for a couple of minutes
Add sugar if you want
Strain with a strainer and enjoy it hot


Ginger has several medicinal effects too, so raise your cup to Ginger today...





My Ginger for JFI post will follow soon, hope I will be able to post by tonight

10 comments:

  1. Sandeepa, Nice Recipe and a heart warmer and stomach soother for sure.

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  2. Oh yes, one of my favourite ways to use ginger! But grating not-so-young ginger is such a chore, isn't it? Got any tips? I tend to hoard ginger in the fridge so sometimes it dries out.

    I also drink ginger tea without milk, but it's much more astringent.

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  3. Thanks Indo, love your heart warming comments

    Shilpa
    If I can't grate them, I just pound or crush them with my mortar-pestle. Just get the skin off and pound your ginger away...

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  4. Sandeepa..... I am not a tea person so cant comment much on that!!! (No points for guessing what I drink ;) )
    can you believe it, I havent even tasted tea as yet in all my life!! :) I somehow dont like the smell :(

    But I loved the cups in which you have served them!!!!!

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  5. Sandeepa,
    I am not a tea lover , just can't take the smell of it. But my husband and my inlaws have it often. Love Ginger tho'.

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  6. Hi Coffee and seema
    How can you not love tea :( Though to be truthful my hubby is not much of a tea drinker either, it's me who forces him to drink, because evening tea is no fun if you have to drink it alone

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  7. My day begins with a cup of chai, My husband calls it my alaram:).I love adrak chai, make every day:).

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  8. PS: Thanks for adding me to your favourites! :) So sweet!

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  9. Hey
    join the club of ginger loving foodies. here is my favourite recipe with ginger -ginger thokku:
    http://www.indusladies.com/forums/2846-post1.html

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  10. hi loved ur blog.... and the RCI topic too... would love to participate...i have never made any bengali food thanx to u... iam coming across sooooooooo many lovely bengali recipes...:)
    keep it coming..
    do check my blog too...
    its http://chutkibharpyar.blogspot.com
    and give me ur comments and advice to improve...:D

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