Chinese spice of spices
July 12, 2012, Thursday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
IN case you hadn't noticed, the culinary lines between different cultures are blurring. Raw fish has long since gone mainstream and the appeal of wagyu beef has been noted in fine dining restaurants the world over.
In this day and age the ingredients that define a cuisine are few and far between. Lucky for us, though, there remains one item that I still consider truly of China. It is now used internationally in various applications, sweet and savory, but somehow whenever I taste the spicy heat of ginger my mind always thinks Chinese.
Others may disagree and they're entitled to their opinion. But the Chinese do have precedents, 5,000 years of documented precedents. Starting in southern China, ginger soon found its way through Southeast Asia and into West Asia where it was picked up by European traders. Along with black pepper, dried ginger was one of the mainstays of the spice trade. Today ginger is widely grown around the world.
Interestingly, ginger's role in food is relatively recent. While there were times when ginger recipes were popular, demand was driven by medical considerations instead of taste. Outside of tonics for what ails you, the only cooked ginger stayed in Asia.
The quintessential gingerbread man so closely associated with the flavor has only been around for 500 years, supposedly the brainchild of Queen Elizabeth I as a treat for her guests.
Some people think cakes and cookies, I think steamed fish and xiaolongbao, however you get it, there is something tantalizing about the way ginger tastes.
It is a warming spice that heats from the belly up and may cause a sweat, but it doesn't ever seem to be too much to handle. And while dried was the norm 2,000 years ago, I try to use fresh ginger, available all year-round.
Mature ginger, the kind we usually see fresh, is an amazing flavor suited to all manner of proteins and preparations. It can be a bit intense to eat straight up so it's mostly cut really fine to minimize intensity or cut really chunky, to be picked out later.
Young ginger, if you're lucky to find it, is incredibly juicy and mild. In Sichuan Province it is often served simply peeled and tossed in a light dressing, possessing all the complexity but not heat and stringiness of old ginger.
While I leave the steamed turbot with ginger to the professionals, I suggest two great summertime applications for the Chinese spice of all spices. One is a variation on the classic thirst quencher, an ice-cold lemonade. Just more mature.
And if you're inclined to make it even more mature, a shot of spiced rum is a great addition. The next recipe is for a general ginger vinaigrette. Tempered enough not to cause universal heartburn, but enough zing to know that you're not playing in France anymore.
Ginger vinaigrette
30g ginger, peeled and finely diced
30g honey
40ml unsweetened rice vinegar
5g espelette pepper
80ml olive oil
10g chives, finely chopped
salt and pepper
Step 1: Combine ginger, honey, vinegar and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes or until solution is properly infused. Let cool.
Step 2: Add espelette and season with salt and pepper. Using a whisk, slowly emulsify olive oil into the ginger vinegar.
Step 3: Add chives and season again.
The ginger vinaigrette can be served with all manner of good eats. In the picture shown we've dressed some simple mixed greens with the vinaigrette and paired it with a pan-roasted chicken. It would equally delicious over some high quality raw fish or roasted mushrooms.
Ginger lemonade (serves one)
30g ginger, peeled and finely diced
30g sugar
230ml water
40ml lemon juice
Step 1: Combine ginger with sugar and 30ml water. Heat over low heat for 10 minutes, set aside to cool.
Step 2: Add lemon juice and remaining water. Stir to combine and refrigerate.
Step 3: Garnish with mint and a thin slice of fresh ginger.
In this day and age the ingredients that define a cuisine are few and far between. Lucky for us, though, there remains one item that I still consider truly of China. It is now used internationally in various applications, sweet and savory, but somehow whenever I taste the spicy heat of ginger my mind always thinks Chinese.
Others may disagree and they're entitled to their opinion. But the Chinese do have precedents, 5,000 years of documented precedents. Starting in southern China, ginger soon found its way through Southeast Asia and into West Asia where it was picked up by European traders. Along with black pepper, dried ginger was one of the mainstays of the spice trade. Today ginger is widely grown around the world.
Interestingly, ginger's role in food is relatively recent. While there were times when ginger recipes were popular, demand was driven by medical considerations instead of taste. Outside of tonics for what ails you, the only cooked ginger stayed in Asia.
The quintessential gingerbread man so closely associated with the flavor has only been around for 500 years, supposedly the brainchild of Queen Elizabeth I as a treat for her guests.
Some people think cakes and cookies, I think steamed fish and xiaolongbao, however you get it, there is something tantalizing about the way ginger tastes.
It is a warming spice that heats from the belly up and may cause a sweat, but it doesn't ever seem to be too much to handle. And while dried was the norm 2,000 years ago, I try to use fresh ginger, available all year-round.
Mature ginger, the kind we usually see fresh, is an amazing flavor suited to all manner of proteins and preparations. It can be a bit intense to eat straight up so it's mostly cut really fine to minimize intensity or cut really chunky, to be picked out later.
Young ginger, if you're lucky to find it, is incredibly juicy and mild. In Sichuan Province it is often served simply peeled and tossed in a light dressing, possessing all the complexity but not heat and stringiness of old ginger.
While I leave the steamed turbot with ginger to the professionals, I suggest two great summertime applications for the Chinese spice of all spices. One is a variation on the classic thirst quencher, an ice-cold lemonade. Just more mature.
And if you're inclined to make it even more mature, a shot of spiced rum is a great addition. The next recipe is for a general ginger vinaigrette. Tempered enough not to cause universal heartburn, but enough zing to know that you're not playing in France anymore.
Ginger vinaigrette
30g ginger, peeled and finely diced
30g honey
40ml unsweetened rice vinegar
5g espelette pepper
80ml olive oil
10g chives, finely chopped
salt and pepper
Step 1: Combine ginger, honey, vinegar and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes or until solution is properly infused. Let cool.
Step 2: Add espelette and season with salt and pepper. Using a whisk, slowly emulsify olive oil into the ginger vinegar.
Step 3: Add chives and season again.
The ginger vinaigrette can be served with all manner of good eats. In the picture shown we've dressed some simple mixed greens with the vinaigrette and paired it with a pan-roasted chicken. It would equally delicious over some high quality raw fish or roasted mushrooms.
Ginger lemonade (serves one)
30g ginger, peeled and finely diced
30g sugar
230ml water
40ml lemon juice
Step 1: Combine ginger with sugar and 30ml water. Heat over low heat for 10 minutes, set aside to cool.
Step 2: Add lemon juice and remaining water. Stir to combine and refrigerate.
Step 3: Garnish with mint and a thin slice of fresh ginger.
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