Today, bags of a spicy, aromatic spice called ground ginger can be purchased in every store. Despite its widespread use, not every housewife uses it in home cooking, home cosmetology and for medicinal purposes. Although, with the popularization of Japanese cuisine, ginger increasingly began to appear on the European table. What qualities does the spice have, how to dry the fresh root and use it correctly?
Why dry ginger?
In Europe, the use of oriental spices began several decades ago. In the homeland of ginger - India - and other Asian countries, it has been grown for several centuries and is widely used as a seasoning, ingredient and medicine. This product began to conquer Europeans in ground form, so the question arises: how to dry ginger and how does it differ from the fresh root?
Today you can easily buy both ground and fresh root. They have almost identical composition, but slightly different properties. So, fresh is more aromatic, less hot, and dried is more pungent and spicy. When preparing soups and salads, fresh ginger is often used, and ground ginger is used for stewing meat and baking.
Why dry ginger at home? First of all, in order to be confident in the high quality and safety of this product. All stages of drying will be clearly controlled by your own eye, and this is the best quality control department. Secondly, the output is a fresh and aromatic spice without impurities or additives, which will be stored for a long time.
Being confident that any product is natural and safe is a big deal, especially if it is used for medical purposes or consumed by children. Homemade dried ginger can be safely added to food, face and hair masks, made into drinks, tinctures and even cough drops that even small children will love.
Getting aromatic spice is the main reason to dry ginger
Ginger root, what is it like?
Ginger as a plant is not particularly valuable. Externally similar to reeds, with long thin leaves, it grows in the tropical forests of Asia. The fleshy rhizome contains essential oils that give dishes a unique aroma. And phenol-like substances such as gingerol make the taste of the spice hot. Black ginger is found in nature and can be dried at home. The white root is found in stores. It can also be dried, but after washing thoroughly. After all, the whiteness of the root is due to soaking in a solution of hydrocyanic acid or bleach.
Before drying, it is better to remove the skin from the rhizome, cutting off the side shoots.
Drying at home
A fresh root without signs of mold or serious damage, even and smooth in appearance, is suitable for drying. If it has not been stored correctly and has absorbed additional odors, when dried it will have an unpleasant aroma and will spoil the dishes in which it ends up. Therefore, when choosing raw materials, pay attention to its integrity and the absence of foreign odors.
You can dry the root in the following ways:
- in the oven at 50 degrees;
- in an electric dryer at 60 degrees;
- naturally in a dry, ventilated area.
Before drying, the root is washed under running water, the lateral shoots are cut off, dried with a towel and cut into thin petals along with the skin. It is not removed for the reason that a lot of essential oil is concentrated under it, which gives a characteristic aroma and is very beneficial for health. The thinner the root is cut, the faster and better it will be dried.
Some housewives grind ginger on a coarse grater along with the skin and dry it in this form. It will be easier to grind later. Or you can add it whole without chopping. But such raw materials can only be dried in the oven on a baking sheet.
Experts recommend cutting the root into petals and then storing it in an airtight container and grinding only before use to preserve more flavor in the ginger. In addition, the dried petals look very beautiful in a transparent jar, which can be placed on the shelf with other spices.
To properly dry the petals in the oven, you must:
How to store ginger root at home
- place parchment paper on a baking sheet;
- preheat the oven to 50 degrees;
- Place a thin layer of ginger so that the petals do not touch each other.
- close the oven and dry in this mode for about 2-2.5 hours, periodically checking the condition;
- when the ginger dries, you can increase the temperature in the oven to 70 degrees and dry until tender.
On average, drying time can vary from 3 to 5 hours depending on the size of the petals and the consistency of the temperature. Once the ginger is dry, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool completely for a few hours. After this, it can be placed in an airtight container and stored, or it can be ground in a blender or coffee grinder. To make the powder truly homogeneous, you can sift it through a sieve and grind the large particles again.
For variety, you can cut the root into strips
If an electric dryer is used, the ginger to be placed in it should be cut into as large but thin slices as possible so that they do not fall through the grid cells during drying. Drying time from 4 to 7 hours. Containers with ginger need to be swapped periodically to ensure uniform drying.
The simplest, but longest-lasting method of drying is natural. You can dry the root on the veranda, in the gazebo, on the balcony, simply by spreading the raw materials on a flat surface. Ginger should not be exposed to direct sunlight. The room should not be damp or dark, it needs access to fresh air and ventilation. Thus, the root dries within several days.
You can also dry ginger in the microwave. This will take little time - only 10-15 minutes at a power of 700 W. If the petals are not completely dried, you can place them again for 7-10 minutes, repeat until the desired condition. If there is still a stove in the village, you can simply string the sliced root on a thread and hang it next to the warm stove. This way it will dry for 2-3 days, and the whole house will be filled with its aroma.
Methods for drying rhizomes for the winter
Drying ginger in the oven
The baking tray is covered with baking paper, and slices of chopped root are placed on top of it. Drying is carried out, with the oven door slightly open, in two stages:
- To begin with, the oven is heated to a temperature of 50 degrees. If the stove is gas and does not have a thermometer, then the burner should be set to minimum power. At this temperature, drying is carried out for 2.5 hours.
- At the final stage, the heating power is increased to 70 degrees. At this temperature, the root is dried until completely cooked.
If the stove is equipped with a convection function, then it is advisable to turn it on. The total time for drying ginger in the oven is 5 – 7 hours.
Dry the root in an electric dryer
The chopped rhizome is placed on the drying racks for vegetables and fruits at a short distance from each other. Drying occurs within 6 - 9 hours at a unit power of 60 degrees. To ensure that the ginger dries evenly, the dryer trays are periodically swapped.
Drying ginger in an air fryer
The temperature at which the root will be dried should be set at 70 degrees, and the airflow should be at maximum power. Drying time varies from 1.5 to 3 hours, and depends mainly on the method of cutting the root.
Drying Candied Ginger
Candied dried ginger is a dessert and an unusual decorative option that can be used to decorate cakes, pie, muffins, fruit salads and many other dishes. It's very easy to make. First, the root is peeled and cut into 2 mm slices. Pour hot water over the raw material and let it stand for 2 hours so that excess bitterness comes out.
Then the water is drained, the ginger is washed, put back in the container, filled with water and simmered over low heat for 30-40 minutes until the slices become soft. Next, they are thrown onto a sieve and allowed to drain well and dry. After this you need:
- line a baking sheet with parchment paper;
- each boiled slice is dipped in sugar and placed on a baking sheet so that they do not touch;
- heat the oven to 60-70 degrees and dry until done.
After complete cooling, the ginger is placed in a container made of opaque glass or food tin and stored at a moderate temperature. The shelf life of the dried root is about 2 years.
Even children will love this dessert.
How to properly dry ginger for tea
During seasonal colds, ginger is necessary, as it has powerful anti-inflammatory properties and improves immunity. In addition, it has a beneficial effect on the digestive system, normalizes metabolism, is effective in weight loss and promotes the process of burning fat cells.
Many people add fresh or dried root to tea for the prevention and treatment of ARVI and influenza, as well as in the process of losing weight.
The dried rhizome retains all the beneficial properties and taste, while preparing ginger for future use is very simple - it can be dried using a conventional oven.
Some housewives wonder: is it necessary to peel ginger before drying? If it is fresh and has no signs of damage, then there is no need to cut off the skin, since most of the essential oils are contained just under the crust. If desired, the root can be peeled, but this raises another question: how to peel ginger for tea? This should be done with a sharp knife or vegetable cutter so as not to cut off too thick a layer of peel and not touch the pulp.
It is most convenient to clean the plant under running cold water to avoid watery eyes from the release of caustic essential oils. But it is not recommended to use a wooden cutting board, since the wood will absorb oils and their aroma will not be so easy to get rid of.
If the ginger seems too hot and spicy, you can soak it in cold water for 6 hours before drying - this procedure will remove excess spice from the root.
- Wash the ginger, peel (if desired), place on a towel and dry.
- Cut the root into thin slices, and the thinner they are, the better. Slices that are too thick do not dry well and may become moldy during storage.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place chopped ginger on it.
- Place the baking sheet in the oven. Dry at 50 degrees for 1 hour, then turn the ginger over to the other side so that there are no raw areas left, and continue drying for another hour.
You can determine whether the ginger is ready by the condition of the slices: properly dried pieces of the root are very hard, break, but do not bend, and have a grayish tint at the break site.
Beneficial features
Dried ginger is a concentrate of useful biologically active components. That is why it is consumed in limited quantities. The maximum daily dose is a teaspoon in ground form. It is in this form that it is used by those who want to lose weight. It is believed that the spice speeds up metabolism and partially prevents lipids from being absorbed in the intestines while transiting through the digestive tract.
In addition, the spice will help cope with poisoning and improve the intestinal microflora. In general, regular consumption of ginger improves appetite and stimulates the production of digestive enzymes, increasing the quality and speed of digestive processes. It can act as a mild pain reliever, a source of vitamins, micro- and macroelements, chlorogenic acid, antioxidants and phytoncides. Ground ginger has the following effects on the body:
- relieves inflammation;
- kills pathogens;
- reduces pain during PMS;
- stimulates the production of bile and some hormones;
- increases libido and sexual desire in men and women;
- strengthens the immune system.
One of the most popular uses of the spice is adding it to tea. This is a miracle remedy that quickly warms you up, helps you cope with the first signs of a cold and promotes weight loss. Next on the list of uses is adding it to meat dishes, soups and dough for cookies and pies.
Drying ginger at home is very simple, easy and cheap, because the finished spice in the store is much more expensive, and its production time may not always coincide with the real one. That's why you need to stock up on this valuable product yourself and for health benefits.
In the microwave
To get dried ginger slices, you don’t have to buy expensive equipment or wait until the moisture from the horned root comes out on its own. You can dry the spice in the microwave. At the same time, the quality of the product will not differ from that dried naturally. However, with this method it can be difficult to control the temperature: on most models, the modes are indicated by power. However, information about this is always contained in the technical book.
Preparation for drying
When purchasing root in a store, you should pay special attention to the freshness of the product. The ginger should be firm and clean, without any dark spots or wrinkled areas. Long roots contain more aromatic substances, vitamins and microelements.
It is recommended to dry ginger unpeeled, since cutting off the skin can remove a large amount of useful substances from the product.
However, some recipes involve drying the peeled rhizome.
Then cleaning occurs as follows:
- All side shoots are trimmed and cleaned separately.
- Remove the skin from the main root in a thin layer, cutting it with a knife along from one edge of the plant to the other.
- To prevent peeling ginger from causing watery eyes, do this under running cool water.
The peeled product can be cut into thin slices or small cubes. It is also possible to dry the ginger, crushed through a coarse grater.
Benefits and harms of the product
For good health
Benefit:
The active components contained in dried ginger can effectively fight viruses and inflammation.- They have antioxidant properties.
- Dried ginger inhibits harmful bacteria.
- Has an expectorant and analgesic effect.
- Strengthens the immune system.
- Improves memory.
- Thins the blood.
- Helps destroy cancer cells.
Harm:
- Dried ginger warms up the body and at elevated temperatures, you should stop using it.
- For people with heart disease, weight loss based on dried ginger should be carried out strictly after consultation with a doctor.
The medicinal properties of ginger are written here.
For weight loss
Why is it useful?:
- Dried ginger root powder can normalize metabolic processes in the body.
- Speed up metabolism, resulting in burning extra pounds.
Harm:
- Despite all the beneficial properties of the dried rhizome, there are contraindications for its use for nursing mothers and women in the last months of pregnancy.
- Those who suffer from stomach ulcers or other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract should refrain from this method of losing weight.
