Ginger is a common seasoning in the kitchen. However, with the variety of ginger available on the market, many people are concerned about how to choose high-quality, safe, and healthy ginger. Ginger has a wide range of uses in cooking, whether for removing fishy odors or as a spice to complement various ingredients, it plays a unique role.
Ginger is a common ingredient in daily life, generally used as a seasoning. However, ginger is not just a condiment; it also has many medicinal values. Dried ginger (Gan Jiang) is a traditional Chinese medicinal material that treats spleen and stomach deficiency-cold and cold extremities. So, how is dried ginger made? How should it be stored? Let’s take a look!
1. Methods for Making Dried Ginger
(1) Direct Drying
Fresh ginger is sliced and then air-dried. This is the most common method, and many households use this approach. It is relatively simple; just slice the ginger thinly and ensure even thickness. If the slices are too thick, the drying time will be prolonged, leading to fibrous texture and affecting the taste.
(2) Salt Curing and Drying
Salt curing followed by drying is a traditional method for quickly making dried ginger. After washing and slicing fresh ginger, it is salted overnight and then dried. This method removes most of the moisture from the fresh ginger and effectively prevents fibrous texture due to cell death caused by salt.
(3) Cooking Method
Similar to making salt-free dried vegetables, dried ginger can also be prepared by blanching in boiling water. Slice fresh ginger and briefly immerse it in boiling water for about 30 seconds, then dry it. This method quickly kills the cells, preventing fibrous texture, but some flavor may be lost in the boiling water.
(4) Steaming Method
Dried ginger used in traditional Chinese medicine is made using this method, which preserves the best medicinal properties. It requires repeated steaming, as there is a saying in traditional medicine about the nine preparations of dried ginger. Steaming quickly kills the cells without significant flavor loss.
(5) Baking Method
Baking ginger slices is more complicated, but it allows for quick drying without relying on external conditions. However, it is easy to burn, and the resulting dried ginger may be too hot for most people, potentially causing discomfort.
2. Choosing Ginger
1. For making edible ginger slices, it is best to choose fresh young ginger, which has a tender texture. Older ginger is more suitable for drying, as young ginger shrinks significantly during dehydration.
2. For medicinal ginger, it is best to select ginger that has been cultivated for over three years. This ginger has a milder nature, making it suitable for medicinal use.
3. Differences Between Fresh Ginger and Dried Ginger
(1) Fresh Ginger
Fresh ginger has properties that release the exterior, warm the middle, stop vomiting, transform phlegm, and detoxify seafood poison. It is particularly effective in relieving heat, stopping vomiting, and detoxifying. Clinically, fresh ginger is mainly used to treat colds caused by wind-cold, headaches, nasal congestion, fever, and cough, as well as stomach cold vomiting and seafood poisoning. Fresh ginger can be consumed directly, for example, by boiling 30 grams of sliced fresh ginger with brown sugar in water to treat wind-cold, headaches, and menstrual cramps; or by juicing fresh ginger to treat stomach cold vomiting and excessive phlegm. Adding minced ginger to vinegar when eating seafood can prevent poisoning.
(2) Dried Ginger
Dried ginger has warming properties, disperses cold, revives yang, and warms the lungs. It is particularly effective in warming the stomach and promoting circulation. Clinically, it is mainly used to treat spleen and stomach deficiency-cold, yang deficiency collapse, cold extremities, and cough with wheezing. Dried ginger is not consumed directly but is often combined with other herbs in decoctions. For example, it is a key ingredient in the Li Zhong Tang (Regulate the Middle Decoction) for spleen and stomach deficiency-cold and in the Ling Gui Zhu Gan Tang (Poria, Cinnamon, and Ginger Decoction) for cough with cold phlegm, where dried ginger is one of the main herbs. Additionally, in cases of yang deficiency collapse due to cold, dried ginger can be combined with Fu Zi (Aconite) to enhance its warming effects.
4. Storage Methods for Dried Ginger
Store in a cool, dry place to prevent insect infestation.
These are currently the most common methods for making dried ginger, which has various uses depending on individual needs.
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