Ginger

Fresh ginger's spiciness comes from gingerols, which sweeten as they cook.

Flavor

How to use it

Grate for heat. Fine grating breaks more cells, giving a sharper, more even bite.

Slice for warmth. Coins simmered in broth give gentle flavor you can fish out later.

Common mistakes

• Burning it in a hot dry pan, which turns it bitter.
• Peeling with a knife and wasting flesh; a spoon edge scrapes the skin off.

What goes with ginger

• Garlic. Garlic's sulfur depth and ginger's clean heat cover savory and fresh at once.
• Soy Sauce. Ginger's heat highlights soy sauce's umami richness.
• Lemongrass. Ginger's zingy heat contrasts lemongrass's citrus aroma.
• Doubanjiang. Ginger and doubanjiang are fried together at the start of many Sichuan dishes.
• Lemon. Ginger's warm heat and lemon's sour brightness balance each other in tea and marinades.
• Honey. Honey's sweetness counters ginger's spicy heat.
• Tofu. Ginger's sharpness perks up tofu's blandness.
• Coconut Milk. Ginger adds a sharp heat that contrasts coconut milk's creaminess.

Try tonight

• Grate into a stir-fry with garlic.
• Simmer slices in water with lemon for tea.
• Mix with soy and honey as a glaze.

Storage

Keep unpeeled root in the freezer and grate it straight from frozen.