Ginger plays an important role as a must-have ingredient in many households’ kitchens. By using the preservation techniques below, you will easily maintain the freshness of this precious spice, ensuring that it does not spoil during storage.
Preserving with cardboard box and baking soda
When you bring ginger home, it is important not to wash it with water but to use a dry cloth to wipe off any dirt on its surface, as ginger is easily damaged when in contact with water.
Prepare a cardboard box, lay a newspaper or paper towel at the bottom if there is no newspaper available. Sprinkle a layer of baking soda on top of the paper, as baking soda can absorb moisture from the air, helping to keep the environment around the ginger dry.
Next, place the ginger in the box, cover with another sheet of paper and sprinkle a little more baking soda. Repeat this process, alternating between the layer of ginger and the layer of newspaper with sprinkled baking soda until the box is full. Finally, wrap the box tightly with newspaper and close the lid, placing the box in a dry place. With this method, ginger can stay fresh for up to 6 months, thanks to being separated from the air and moisture.
Preserving with white alcohol and cling film
Alcohol acts as a disinfectant and kills bacteria, while cling film helps to prevent air and moisture, prolonging the freshness of ginger.
Pour cold water into a bowl and add a spoonful of salt, stir until completely dissolved. Then, soak the ginger in the salt solution for about 10 minutes and then dry the ginger by sun-drying or using a kitchen towel.
Pour high-alcohol white wine into the bowl and soak the ginger in the wine for about a minute, then scoop it out and let it dry in a dry place to completely dry the ginger. Wrap the ginger with cling film and place them in a sealed box. Store the box in a cool place, and the ginger can stay fresh for about a month.
If desired, you can also soak the ginger in red wine or apple wine to add flavor to dishes or make attractive cocktails. Peel the ginger clean, slice it thin, and put it into a glass jar. Pour the wine on top of the ginger in the ratio of one part ginger to five parts wine, then tightly seal the lid. In just 10 days, the ginger wine is ready to use. Store the jar in a cool, well-aired place, avoiding direct sunlight.
Preserving with white alcohol and salt
Both alcohol with high alcohol content and salt are effective in preventing the growth of bacteria, ensuring that ginger remains fresh and does not spoil.
After cleaning and drying the ginger, cut it into thin pieces. Place them in a sealed box, pour in a quantity of high-alcohol white wine and close the lid carefully. Shake the box gently to allow the alcohol to come into contact with the surface of the box, helping to sterilize it. Add the sliced ginger to the box, sprinkle a little salt on top, and pour more white alcohol to submerge the ginger. Stir gently to let the ginger absorb the alcohol and salt evenly, then close the box and store it in the refrigerator. Preserving ginger this way can keep it fresh for up to 6 months.
If you don’t have alcohol, ginger can still be preserved with just salt.
When bringing ginger home, clean it by washing to remove dirt and sand. Prepare a large bowl with salted water, soak the ginger for about 15 minutes. Then, remove the ginger and let it dry in a well-ventilated place, allowing the ginger to naturally dry, avoiding sunlight or using a dryer to prevent damage to the ginger. Wrap the ginger in cling film or a zip-lock bag and store it in a cool place.
The salt preservation method not only is convenient but also helps ginger stay fresh without having to store it in the refrigerator, ready to use whenever needed with the original ginger flavor.
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