Ginger in your herb garden is practical

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Growing Ginger is practical if your herb garden is in the tropics. If not, it’s better to grow ginger in a container.

Growing Zone: 9 - Soil with a pH of 6.0-8.0

Ginger is a tropical perennial, native to southern Asia. It grows from an aromatic, tuberous rhizome, or root, recognizable by its knotty, branched appearance. Its color can be whitish or buff-colored, depending on the strain.

Ginger stands between 2 and 4 feet tall, with long, grass-like narrow leaves 6-12 inches long. In the wild the flowers of the Ginger plant are thick, three-inch, cone-like spikes at the end of a tall stalk. Its corolla is yellow-green and purple, with yellow stripes and spots. It rarely flowers in cultivation.

Growing the Ginger Plant:

Plant a rhizome you’ve bought either from a nursery or grocery store in a large pot filled with equal parts of compost, peat moss, loam and sand. It will require plenty of humidity, warmth and moisture, and prefers partial shade. In warm months, place your potted ginger in a semi shaded outdoor location.

Harvest your ginger by pulling the ginger plant out of its pot 8-12 months after planting. Cut its leafstalks off and remove the fibrous roots. Remove as much of the ginger root as you can use and replant the remainder.

Ginger in the kitchen:

Ginger spice is used frequently by Chinese cooks in stir-frying vegetables. it is spicy but good for the digestive system. In fact, it has been found effective against motion sickness. It promotes circulation; ginger tea can serve as a mild stimulant.

In the kitchen, ginger can be used fresh or dried, in beverages, fruit salads, meats, fish, and a variety of vegetables. Ground ginger is good in sweet puddings, quick breads, cookies and muffins.

In using fresh ginger, keep it refrigerated, wrapped in a paper towel and then tightly wrapped in plastic. This will keep it fresh for months.

Here’s a good recipe from one of my favorites that puts some zip into glazed carrots. Glazed Carrots go well with roasts of any kind. See www.cooksillustrated.com

Ginger Glazed Carrots recipe can be prepared in any 12-inch skillet

1 pound medium carrots (about 6), peeled and sliced ¼ inch thick on the bias

1 piece fresh ginger (1 inch), cut crosswise into ¼ inch coins

½ tsp. table salt

3 Tbsp. granulated sugar

½ cup low-sodium chicken broth

1 Tbsp. unsalted butter cut into 4 pieces

1 tsp minced fresh rosemary

2 tsp. lemon juice

Ground black pepper

Bring carrots, ginger, salt, 1 Tbsp. sugar, and chicken broth to boil, covered, in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until carrots are almost tender when poked with the tip of a paring knife (about 5 minutes).

Uncover, increase heat to high, and simmer rapidly, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced to about 2 Tbsp. (1-2 minutes). Add butter, rosemary and remaining 2 Tbsp. sugar to skillet; toss carrots to coat and cook, stirring frequently, until carrots are completely tender an glaze is light gold (about 3 minutes). Off heat, add lemon juice; toss to coat. Transfer carrots to serving dish, scraping glaze from pan. Season to taste with pepper and serve immediately. Serves 4.