One Blue Sky

Zingiber officinale botanical name for ginger. The spice belongs to the Zingiberaceae an ancient family of flowering plants that includes cardamom and turmeric. The edible section is lodged underground – a tuberous part of the stem known as the rhizome.

Young rhizomes are pale or light green, have tender, juicy flesh, and a mild sweet flavour. The mature rhizome has a tougher skin and is more pungent with the resin that gives ginger its distinctive flavour. The resin is distilled to make ginger oil which has been used as a curative since ancient times. A dab of oil is meant to fade bruising or calm inflamed joints, while fresh ginger tea is recommended for nausea, motion and morning sickness. Like most spices, ginger has a long history of medicinal use, often cited in folk remedies as a digestive aid, stimulant and aphrodisiac.

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Arabic – zanjabil
Burmese – cheung, chiang, jeung
Indonesian – aliah
Japanese – mioga, myoga, shoga
Kannada – alla, shunthi
Latin – zinziberi
Sanskrit – srngaveram
Swahili – tangawizi

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Although ginger is said to have originated in China, the plant is native to most continents. It’s harvested in countries far and wide, from Costa Rica to Kenya, Fiji to St Lucia. China and India are the biggest producers. Nigeria is best for oil, and Jamaica has the best variety of rhizomes.In cuisine, ginger is a versatile spice.It sweetens desserts, adds depth to savouries, and ferments in a fantastic range of zesty drinks. Young and mature rhizomes are used fresh, and both can be dried, ground, crystallized, pickled or preserved. Europeans generally use ginger in cookies, cakes and ales, while other countries have their own specialities like gari (Japan), jerk marinade (Jamaica), kimchi (Korea), wedang jahe (Indonesia).

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Some Recipes & Specials

Sorrell
Stoney
Ginger Juice Cleanser
Ginger Cake

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BBC Good Food Guide
Batian Peak TeasGinger Spice

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600+ ginger-based recipes
Global ginger harvest

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Books for Cooks

* Caribbean Cuisine: Morgan Freeman & Friends

* Asian Cuisine: A Spoonful of Ginger

* Global Recipes

* Ginger: Common Spice and Wonder Drug

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