Sat, Sep 16, 2017 page13

• Ian's Table: Ginger zinger

  Ginger’s many qualities have made it an integral part of many world cuisines and just a smidgen can give your dishes wonderful vibrancy

  • By Ian Bartholomew
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  Ginger is one of the world’s great spices. Probably first cultivated in India, it has spread around the globe, becoming an integral part of many world cuisines. Long used in all aspects of Asian cooking, in Europe it has not fully escaped from the realm of the exotic, and its most distinctive uses are in specialty foods such as festive ginger bread.

  The history of cultivated ginger is said to date back as much as 5,000 years, and it was widely used in India and China at an early stage for its powerful medical properties and outstanding flavor. It was know by the cooks of the Roman empire, who greatly prized it (though more as a medical herb than a culinary flavoring), but was lost to Europe when the empire fell, only reintroduced by way of Arab spice traders in the Middle Ages as a luxury product, often candied and used in exotic sweets.

  Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is a herbaceous perennial that is now cultivated throughout tropical zones and is an integral part of the cuisines of India, China, Southeast Asia, North Africa and the Caribbean. Taiwan produces high quality fresh ginger, which is sold either young (most often seen as a sweet pickle to accompany a lunchbox) or on the side of local-style sushi plates, or old (recommended for stir fry and braise applications, and also for beverages such as ginger tea).

  

  A dish of ginger and basil chicken inspired by Thai street food.

  Photo: Ian Bartholomew

  Dried ginger is also sold in powdered form in supermarkets, and this is most convenient for baking or incorporated into dry rubs for roast meats. While there are many recipes out there suggesting that dried ginger can be substituted for fresh in Asian food, I find it delivers quite a different flavor, and while I am happy to use powdered ginger in baking, only fresh will do for a spicy Thai-style chicken stir fry. In fact, ginger can take on many guises, presenting different aspects of a complex personality through different styles of cooking.

  VERSATILE ROOT

  It is also worthwhile becoming familiar with the ginger you are using, as the flavor and texture can vary considerably depending on its growing environment, with flavors ranging from softly warming to quite robustly savory. This is particularly important when pairing ginger with fish or seafood, for while ginger is widely used for its ability to mitigate the fishy flavor of river or farmed fish, it can easily overwhelm any and all other flavors if used in excess. In Taiwanese food, ginger is often used to soften the “fishy” flavor of cooked shrimp or steamed fish, which are often served with a combination of julienne spring onions, ginger and chili. It is also a key ingredient in Thai-style curries such as beef massaman curry, cutting through the creamy richness of coconut and well larded meat with its warm pungency.

  

  Ginger, beige and knobbly, tastes much better than it looks.

  Photo: Ian Bartholomew

  From earliest times, ginger has been used due to its powerful abilities as an anti-inflammatory, digestive and for its effectiveness in dealing with various kinds of internal discomfort from menstrual pain to hangovers. This is still reflected in many classic recipes, such as ginger and chicken soup, which is grandma’s sovereign remedy for every variety of winter ailment. Ginger sweets are also popular as a way to aid digestion after a heavy meal, and various tisanes using ginger are a major part of the pharmacopoeia of herbal healing. A mixture of ginger, lemon juice, mint leaves and good honey makes for a soothing drink, and if you have the time and inclination, much the same ingredients can be turned into a couple of bottles of homemade ginger wine, a rather old-fashioned digestif still readily available in English pubs.

  Ginger can keep for quite a long time if properly cared for so there is no reason to be caught without it in the larder. Buy pieces that are firm and have a smooth skin that feel heavy in the hand. It is best stored in a cool place in a porous bag, either paper or perforated plastic, as dampness will cause it to rot. For many recipes, a thorough wash is sufficient before it goes in the pot, and peeling the ginger is only really necessary if you are actually eating a whole piece of ginger, such as in candied ginger.

  While ginger has many wonderful medical properties, it is worth noting that if eaten to excess it can cause heartburn and diarrhea, and there is some concern with its effects on pregnant women and nursing mothers, but generally ginger has such vibrancy that it is seldom used in quantities likely to cause problems.

  Ian Bartholomew runs Ian’s Table, a small guesthouse in Hualien. He has lived in Taiwan for many years writing about the food scene and has decided that until you look at farming, you know nothing about the food you eat. He can be contacted at Hualien202@gmail.com.

  Ginger basil chicken

  Recipe

  (Serves 2)

  Ingredients

  Chicken stir fried with ginger is a classic of Thai cuisine (Gai Pad Krapow), as is chicken fried with basil (Gai Pad Khing). On the basis of “the more the merrier,” a combination of these two dishes seems inevitable, especially as ginger and basil generally play well together and produce a dish that has a lovely mix of sweetness and spicy warmth that is especially appealing on hot summer nights when the appetite is a bit sluggish, or you are simply looking for something to balance out one or three bottles of cooling beer. Rooted firmly in the street food stir fry tradition, this dish is a doddle to prepare and is perfect with a mound of freshly steamed rice. Throwing in a crispy fried egg with a runny yoke takes this dish into the realm of food heaven.

  200g skinless chicken breast

  2 cloves garlic, minced

  1 nub of ginger, thinly sliced

  2 chilies, deseeded and sliced

  Small bunch of sweet basil

  1 tbsp palm sugar

  1 tbsp vegetable oil

  100ml chicken (or vegetable) stock

  1 tbsp light soy sauce

  1/2 tbsp fish sauce

  1 tbsp dark soy sauce

  1/2 tsp white pepper

  1 tsp potato starch or corn starch

  Directions:

  1. Cut the chicken meat into bit sized cubes. Marinate with light soy, white pepper and potato starch for about 5 minutes.

  2. In a bowl, mix the stock, fish sauce, dark soy and palm sugar until well combined.

  3. Heat the vegetable oil over a medium flame and then toss in the sliced ginger. Fry the ginger until fragrant.

  4. Add the chili and then the garlic and fry for a minute or so more. Add the meat and turn up the flame to high. Stirring rapidly over high heat, then add the stock fish sauce, dark soy and palm sugar mixture. Stir to mix thoroughly.

  5. Toss in the basil leaves and continue to stir until the basil leaves are just beginning to wilt. Do not over cook or the basil leaves will loose their vibrancy.

  6. Serve hot with fresh rice.

  Ian Bartholomew runs Ian’s Table , a small guesthouse in Hualien. He has lived in Taiwan for many years writing about the food scene and has decided that until you look at farming, you know nothing about the food you eat. He can be contacted at Hualien202@gmail.com.
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