Cooking with Ginger

by Jennifer Iserloh, Posted Jan 8th 2010 @ 3:00PM

Photo: Jennifer Iserloh, Skinny Chef.

Ginger is the base for this really aromatic chai tea. Hot, spicy and astringent, it adds a great deal of flavor to every beverage or dish, and the root can keep for weeks chilled in your vegetable drawer. Add it to scallions and garlic to make a flavorful base for any Asian dish, including stir-fries, soups and noodle dishes. Grate it into blended canned tomatoes for a gorgeous sauce to serve with chicken or fish.

Although you can find ginger almost anywhere -- from your local deli to the fanciest gourmet food shops -- there are a few things you should always look for. Make sure you pick a root with a firm, smooth skin without wrinkles or withered ends. The flesh inside should be crisp and lemony yellow, without any browning. To peel it, you can use a potato peeler or the edge of a spoon, but for this chai recipe there's no need to peel at all, since you'll strain the mixture before serving it.

Ginger is not only delicious, but well-known as a folk remedy against motion sickness (especially seasickness) when consumed raw. In addition, ginger contains very potent anti-inflammatory compounds called gingerols that can help lessen the pain of arthritis and also has anti-bacterial properties that make it a good match for raw foods, like sushi.

Warm Vanilla Chai

Serves 2

2 inch pieces of fresh ginger, thinly sliced

4 teaspoons loose black tea such as English Breakfast

1/2 cup water

2 tablespoons sugar

1 1/2 cup skim milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place the ginger, tea and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil then reduce immediately to a simmer. Cook 2 to 3 minutes until the water decreases by half. Add the milk, sugar, and vanilla. Cook an additional 1 to 2 minutes, stirring once or twice. Strain and serve immediately.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (1 cup):

125 calories, 6 g protein, 23 g carbohydrates, 0.5 g fat (0 g saturated), 3 mg cholesterol, 0 g fiber, 98 mg sodium.

Filed Under: Recipes
Tags: chai recipe, chai tea, ginger, skinny chef, vanilla chai

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Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)

1-09-2010 @4:43PM cliff said... For those who have never thought of it, try growing your own ginger in small pots in the summer. Just take a small piece of root and plant it in wet soil, just like growing a potato when you were a kid. The taste is unbelieveably unique when it is freshly grown
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1-13-2010 @11:12AM MJ said... when you plant the ginger root do you use the plant part or wait till it matures and use the root it self

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1-13-2010 @11:19AM cliff said... You can use both.

The greens are wonderful if you cook them slightly, to use in salad or as garnish for a dish. Then in the fall, you pull up the tuber. The fresh tubers are truly a revelation.

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1-11-2010 @6:56AM quickmealhelp said... What a perfect recipe for this time of the year -- it's been so cold and blustery here in the northeast that I'm really needing some of ginger's warmth! Am going to pick up some fresh ginger at the store and make this today -- thanks!
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