Fresh Ginger

[pjs]

There is currently a recipe on epicurious for catfish that calls for an obscene amount of ginger. Half a pound for four servings. I'd provide a link but I don't do code since I trashed the phototypesetter.

Anyway, I made it and it was awesome. Ginger used in this type of quantity takes on a whole new dimension. It becomes almost peppery. I believe the recipe was of Cambodian origin. Can anyone elaborate?

PJ

[torakris]

Is this the recipe?

http://www.epicurious.com/run/recipe/view?...=ginger+catfish

[pjs]

That's the recipe Kristin. I think the people dissing the recipe in the reviews didn't prepare and cook the ginger as described. You have to match-stick it and stir-fry it until it browns.

PJ

Edited April 24, 2003 by pjs (log)

[jhlurie]

Massive quantities of ginger work well in combination with good quality (meaning strong) sichuan peppercorn. Alas, it is banned.

[Fat Guy]

If you take the volume of the ginger squared and you divide it by the speed of light, and then you take the square root of that number, you get the "ginger coefficient," which demonstrates that beyond 3 ounces of ginger it doesn't matter how much ginger you use it won't actually change the dish at all. You can use 90 pounds of ginger; same dish. 40 tons of ginger; same dish. All the ginger in the universe; same dish. The notorious ginger industry, however, has hidden this from Epicurious in a naked attempt to move superfluous amounts of product.

[Elissa]

which of ginger's 2000 varieties do you favor?

[Fat Guy]

Number 1082.

[Human Bean]

Seems to me that if you take whatever quantity of ginger (FG's "ginger coefficient") and cook it until it's "brown and crisp" (per the original recipe), you'll have merely roughage (fiber), not ginger; the ginger-nature will be pretty well gone.

[Suvir Saran]

Ginger can change recipes with its inclusion in many ways.

Ginger can take on new flavors depending on how it is treated.

The recipe actually sound amazing.

I have had some dishes with lots of browned ginger, and the taste imparted is truly wonderful.

It is nothing like the more zingy taste that can come from biting into a tiny sliver of fresh ginger, or the more pungent taste of lemon juice cured pickled ginger, but it has a depth of heat that would seem more peppery and yet also a little citrus.

The quantity of ginger used in a recipe, and how that ginger is used, will change the entire personality of the dish.

South East Asians, The Chinese and Indians have employed the use of ginger in a most wonderful way in their cuisine and also in the repertoire they have of healing remedies.

Fresh ginger is a fascinating ingredient.

[Elissa]

Have you found Indian, African and Chinese gingers to differ?

[Suvir Saran]

Have you found Indian, African and Chinese gingers to differ?

I am not sure I know African Ginger. I have cooked and worked with ginger in Morocco. Would that be considered African? It was fresh and similar to the Indian and Chinese Ginger I have seen in India and other parts of Asia.

Ginger in the US is fresh and amazing only if sourced with some care. The grocery stores one would go to looking for it will have ginger but of very inferior quality. It is old and not as brilliant.

The Chinese cook with it far more tender than Indians absolutely must have. But If I were to be given a choice, I would go with the Chinese variety for many of the sauces that I make when cooking Indian food. I would use Indian tender ginger for most of the street food dishes for which I need ginger that is tender, juicy and with a nice quick bite to it.

What do you think of these three gingers? Do they differ much?

[fifi]

One thing they don't say in this recipe is how you julienne the ginger. Do you cut across the "grain" and then julienne? I would think that if you don't cut across the fiber it would be difficult to chew so I am going to assume that is what you do.

This recipe looks fascinating and I intend to try it. I might try it with pork. Our local asian markets often have wonderful fresh ginger and galangal so that would be an excuse for buying a lot of it.

I have done a long braise of fresh picnic ham, shank portion, that has it sitting on a bed of ginger slices, like about a pound, that is wonderful. Therefore, the ginger overload doesn't intimidate me. The browning of the ginger is new to me though.

[mamster]

I remember hearing a rumor that the world's best ginger comes from Jamaica and/or other Caribbean islands, but all of it goes into ginger ale and local consumption. Anyone know if this is true?

[tissue]

Ginger cooked in sesame oil.... very fragrant and tasty.

Add some chicken and rice wine to this.... and you get sesame oil chicken.

Edited April 24, 2003 by tissue (log)

[pjs]

I have had some dishes with lots of browned ginger, and the taste imparted is truly wonderful.

It is nothing like the more zingy taste that can come from biting into a tiny sliver of fresh ginger, or the more pungent taste of lemon juice cured pickled ginger, but it has a depth of heat that would seem more peppery and yet also a little citrus.

Suvir explained it better than I ever could. It's an intense pepper-like flavor without the sweat-inducing burn.

fifi, I juliened with the fiber so I could match the size of the onion and red pepper. About 1" or so long. But I was using relatively small pieces. If you have a big hand of fiberous ginger maybe cutting on the bias is the answer.

I had some leftovers when I made this. I ate them cold the next day standing up in the kitchen.

PJ

PS Thanks for the link Kristin.

[elyse]

I make ginger tea a lot. I slice the ginger very thin, simmer it and add water to the pot all day. Is there any nutritional value to the ginger after all the taste is leeched out?