Deliciously sweet, yet with a tangy bite, ginger is a staple of Asian cooking, particularly in China.

Actually a distant relative of the banana, ginger was used by the chinese as both a cooking ingredient and health supplement as far back as 6th century B.C. China remains one of the largest producers of ginger in the world.

Ginger is well-known for its flavorful aspects. The Chinese use it along with garlic and other pungent ingredients in meat, poultry, fish, vegetable and many other recipes.

But what of its health properties?

Named after his restaurant in Massachusetts, celebrity chef Ming Tsai's book Blue Ginger introduces cooking with Asian ingredients in a most appealing way. Take Asian ingredients you may have eaten in restaurants and master using them in your own kitchen, without too much effort.

Ginger is known to ease the stomach, particularly for those who suffer motion sickness and the similar symptoms that accompany the administration of anesthesia. Unconfirmed reports show it may ease arthritis pain as well. And since it is anti-bacterial, it is used to kill germs, and sometimes applied to wounds.

The Chinese use ginger to ease cold and flu symptoms, slicing fresh pieces off the tuber and boiling them into a tea. They also believe it detoxifies the body, as well as the meat it is cooked with.  

Fresh ginger is generally available in most grocery stores in the refrigerated vegetable section. The piece, which looks like a root, should be firm, and its skin should be smooth and shiny.

You can keep it in your refrigerator for three weeks, or in your freezer, wrapped tightly, for six months.

Don’t substitute ground ginger from your spice rack. The tase is different and its health properties are doubtful. If you must, make sure you use a teaspoon of dried ginger for recipes that call for a tablespoon of the fresh stuff.  

Learn to cure diseases the Chinese way with this book by Wang Fuchun and Duan Yuhua. It's a safe and cheap form of traditional Chinese food therapy.

Our Favorite Ginger Recipes

Gingered Prawns in Bean Sauce with Spicy Noodles

Ingredients:

3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 small piece ginger, peeled
3 or 4 green scallions
1/2 pound broccoli
1/2 pound snow peas

Noodles:
1 pound Chow Mein noodles
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon Chinese black bean chili sauce
1/4 cup peanut oil
1 pound prawns, cleaned and deveined
1/4 cup peanut sauce

Mince the garlic and the ginger. Cut the scallions on the bias into thin slices, about 1/8-inch long. To prepare vegetables, cut and trim the broccoli into florets of equal size. Snap off the stems and pull any strings from the snow peas; cut into julienne strips. Blanch the broccoli and the snow peas separately in boiling water. Plunge into ice water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.

To prepare noodles, bring two quarts of water to a full boil. Drop in the noodles and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until al dente. Drain well and toss with the sesame oil and chili sauce. Place on a warm serving platter.

Heat the peanut oil in a heavy, 10-inch sauté pan over moderate heat. When oil is hot, add the prawns and sauté for 1 minute. Add garlic and ginger and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes longer. Add the broccoli and scallions, sauté for about 1 minute longer. Stir in the peanut sauce until heated.

To serve, spoon the prawns over the noodles and garnish with the blanched snow peas.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ginger-Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients:

2 cups medium egg noodles
2 cans reduced sodium chicken broth; (14 1/2 oz. each)
150 gm can of chunk white chicken in water; drained
120 gm can of sliced mushrooms; drained
2 tsp fresh grated ginger
2 tsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
0.25 cup sliced green onions
2 tblsp chopped cilantro

Cook noodles as package directs. Drain and set aside. Meanwhile, in 2 quart saucepan over High heat, bring broth to boil. Reduce heat to Medium-Low.

Mix in chicken, mushrooms, ginger and soy sauce. Simmer for 3 minutes. Mix in noodles, onions and cilantro. Return to simmering to heat through. Ladle into soup bowls. Serves 4.

Beef And Ginger Stir Fry

Ingredients:

1 pkt MAGGI Hearty Beef and Tomato Soup Mix
1 tblsp soy sauce
1 garlic clove; crushed
1 tblsp grated fresh root ginger
1 tblsp honey
2 tsp oil
500 gm rump steak; thinly sliced
1 tblsp oil
4 cups sliced vegetables (carrots, broccoli, celery, beans, peppers, cabbage, etc.)
0.5 cup water

Combine the soup mix, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, honey and the 2 teaspoons oil in a bowl. Add the meat and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 15-60 minutes.

Heat the 1 tablespoon oil in a frying pan or wok. Add the meat and stir fry for 2-3 minutes. Add the vegetables and water to the pan and cook, stirring, for a further 2-3 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked.

Serve over cooked spaghetti or vermicelli.