GINGER

Scientific name Zingiber officinale, is the name given by William Roxburgh from the Greek word zingiberi, from Sanskrit, singaberi. Local name: Halia (Aceh), Bahing (Batak Karo), Jae (Java), Ginger (Sunda), Jhai (Madura), Jae, Jahya (Bali), Sipodeh (Minang), Jahi (Lampung), Melito (Gorontalo), Lia (Flores), Goraka (Ternate), Late (East), PESE (Bugis), Lali (Papua). Foreign names: Ginger (UK), Khan Jiang, Chilang (China), Gingembre (France), Gengibre (Spain), Ingefaera (Sweden), Imbir (Russia), Sanyabil (Arabic), Zensero (Italy). Familia or parts of plants: Zingiberaceae.

Ginger is thought to have originated from India. But some are believed ginger comes from the China. From India, ginger was taken as the spice trade to Southeast Asia, China, Japan and the Middle East.

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is a wild plant in a fields who had higher levels of soil rather wet (humid) and plenty of sunshine gain, such as Southeast Asia, Brazil and Africa. Currently Ecuador and Brazil became the world's largest supplier of ginger. Ginger including chronic herbaceous plant species. The characteristics of this plant among other things has erect stems, fibrous roots and bulbous with horizontal rhizomes. Medium large-small ginger rhizome plants is largely determined by its variety. Ginger rhizome rather thick-skinned tubers fibrous wrap meat and have a brown color with a distinctive aroma. Stem ginger is a pseudo-stem with a height of 30 to 100 cm. Elliptic leaf shape and not so wide. Pinnate leaves with a length of 15 to 23 mm and a width of 8 to 15 mm. The flowers are oval and have 2 sex and have 1 stamens and 3 pistils of flowers. Ginger flower has a length of 35 to 50 mm and a width of 15 to 18 mm. Scaly peduncle much as 5 to 7 pieces. Yellowish green flowers. Lips flowers and anthers purple. Ginger flowers appear in axillary in a sitting position. Ginger is a plant of tropical and subtropical regions suited to be planted in the lowlands to the highlands (1500 meters above sea level).

Substances contained in ginger (Zingiber officinale) primarily rhizomes, between Iain: essential oils, resins, mineral, sineol, fellandren, camphor, borneol, zingiberin, zingiberol, gingerol. zingeron, lipidas, aminos acid, niacin, Vitamin A and protein.

Usage As Spices

Old fresh ginger is usually used for stir-fry dishes. Fry dishes, especially seafood, and wedang, because pungent thus neutralizing the rancid aroma. Ginger powder is widely used to add flavor to cakes and biscuits, syrup and powdered spice mix. Candied ginger is used to mix the cake, and ice cream topping because it tastes sweeter. Pickled ginger is used as a complement to grilled or baked dish because it tastes fresher and less spicy.

As fresh herbs, ginger select the elderly. Peel the ginger and slice thin, coarse or finely chopped, or crushed. To get a better aroma, roasted ginger to the skin to peel and scrape the skin. As for obtaining water ginger, grated ginger that has been peeled and then squeeze the water. In a saute dish, ginger slices or chopped ginger is usually sauteed along with other fresh spices until fragrant. If used in large amounts, usually selected young ginger that it's not too spicy. As a complement to the cake, drinks or pudding used candied ginger. For the candied ginger, before it combined with other materials, cut or chopped so that the smell out.

In Java there is famous beverage called ginger. This drink is used to warm the body as a strong spicy flavor of ginger. To make it, burn a few slices of ginger, scrape the skin, crushed and boiled together with water to taste, add the brown sugar and granulated sugar. Boil until the water is reduced and filtered quarter. If you want more spicy you can add some lemongrass stalks are crushed grains and 2-3 cloves.

Tips

So that long-lasting fresh ginger, select the old bulbs, wash and then wipe it dry. Enter in a plastic bag or wrap it with a piece of paper and store in the refrigerator. Fresh ginger can be can be retained for up to 6 weeks.