Food- The Ginger Panacea

Ginger root is used in many Asian menus including Indian, Chinese, and Thai cuisine. It is noted for its pungent aromatic flavour without being too ‘spicy hot.’ By Nicola Galloway

We have been enjoying lots of ginger in our household recently. As well as a culinary flavouring, it serves two further purposes: 1. Help keep away winter colds, and 2. Keep us warm.

In fact, ginger could be a panacea for many things including colds, with its anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties plus its ability to pump blood faster to our extremities. It is also long renowned for its anti-nausea qualities and as a digestive aid. I recently put this to the test when suffering from morning sickness while pregnant and found crystallised ginger a saviour when an attack of nausea hit.

Ginger has long been used as a main ingredient in Lentil Dahl as it assists with digestion; without ginger, lentils can be a rather explosive experience. Add to an already good thing, ginger is now being studied for its use as a natural anti-inflammatory in the treatment of arthritis.

Ginger root is used in many Asian menus including Indian, Chinese, and Thai cuisine. It is noted for its pungent aromatic flavour without being too ‘spicy hot’. Generally ginger root from the supermarket is grown in Thailand or China, but can be grown locally … as Brent Ferretti has found.

Brent of ‘Grown Organically in Hope’ has been experimenting with growing ginger for several years now and is getting some great results. Ginger does require a warm growing environment such as a hothouse or a warm garden position. Brent’s farm location in Hope has a unique micro-climate which sub-tropical plants favour. You can purchase fresh pink ginger root from his stall at the Nelson Farmers’ Market or Saturday Market from late summer until early winter. So unfortunately until then, it’s off to the supermarket.

It is worth having a ginger root on hand for cooking and adding to lemon and honey when you feel the tickle of an approaching cold. Another excellent winter drink is Indian Chai. Much better freshly brewed than the bland packet variety, Chai is relatively easy to make. I was taught how to make ‘the real deal’ Chai several years ago by an Indian barista I worked with.

How to make Chai: In a saucepan start with 2 tea bags and 2 cups of boiling water. Now add a selection of spices:ginger root, freshly grated and lots of it; several cardamom pods; whole cloves; and a cinnamon stick. (Ground spices can be used instead, but whole is always best.) Simmer gently for 5 minutes to infuse the flavours. Remove the tea bags, and add a cup of whole milk and sugar to taste (it should be sweet and creamy). Now the key to a good chai – bring back to the boil, remove from the heat for a minute, then bring back to the boil again. This can be repeated several more times – the more the better, as it caramelises the sugar and milk. Enjoy.

Michelle’s Red Lentil Dahl
I learnt this recipe from a woman I was staying with while traveling in Canada. It is a traditional Pakistani recipe – note the ginger and garlic are added at the end, as long cooking alters their flavour. The caramelised onions could be an optional addition, as they take a while to prepare … but they’re well worth it.

Ingredients:
1 cup split red lentils
2 Tbsp ghee or vegetable oil
1 tsp cumin seed
1 tsp ground coriander
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tsp turmeric
5–6 whole cloves
1 cup water
500g onions, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp finely chopped garlic
1 Tbsp finely chopped ginger
fresh coriander, chopped
garam masala* (optional)

Method:
Rinse the lentils under running cold water for a minute.
Heat the ghee over a moderate heat in a large saucepan. Add the cumin, coriander, cayenne, and salt. Mix to paste over the heat for a minute.
Add the turmeric and a splash of water so as not to burn the turmeric. Mix for another minute.
Add the drained lentils, whole cloves, and water. Cook for 30–40 minutes until thick and the lentils are broken down.
Meanwhile, sauté the onions in a little ghee in a frying pan. Cook for about 30 minutes over a moderate heat until golden brown and sweet. Add a splash of boiling water if they dry out or start to burn. The onions will reduce to about ¼ the amount started with.
Once the lentils are well cooked, add the garlic and ginger and roughly chopped caramelised onions. Reheat and check seasoning.
Serve garnished with chopped coriander and sprinkle with garam masala.

*Garam masala means ‘hot mixture’, it is a combination of dry toasted spices and is used as a base for many Indian curries. It consists of a mixture of coriander seeds, cumin seeds, black peppercorns, ground ginger, cardamom pods, whole cloves, cinnamon, and bay leaves. It is available from supermarkets and Asian food stores.