How do I age ginger?
For the past few months all I can find is young ginger from the grocers. I am in need of old ginger which I can't quite purchase.
I have tried to leave it out in the kitchen in an open basket (no sunlight) but it went all mouldy. When I did this, the average temperatures in my (Australian) city were a high of 30C and a low of 15C.
How can I age young ginger, so as to have 'old' ginger?
Ginger photo :
Best Answer
What's the difference?
I did a little research, and this article does a good job at summarizing both the taste difference, and the growing difference.
Young ginger (or spring ginger) is harvested at the start of the growing season, before it has gotten as fibrous, and when the exterior skin is still thin & delicate. It also has a more mild flavor. Mature ginger (what the OP calls "old ginger" is simply grown longer and has a tougher skin, and more pungent taste.
Full text from the above article:
Fresh ginger is available both young and mature.
Spring ginger. Young ginger which is sometimes called spring ginger has a very thin skin that requires no peeling. The skin is edible. Young ginger is very tender and has a milder flavor than mature ginger. Young ginger is found in Asian markets in the springtime.
Mature ginger. Mature ginger is usually harvested in the fall and has a tough skin that must be carefully peeled to reach the flesh underneath. Mature ginger is more pungent than young ginger.
Just harvested ginger—whether young or mature–should have a fresh, spicy fragrance.
So what can you do?
Once it's harvested, there isn't really a way to "mature" it at home in your kitchen. That needs to happen when it's still in the garden. You could try simply using a "heavier hand" and use more ginger to compensate for the slightly more delicate flavor, though that still won't be the same thing as using mature ginger to begin with.
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Can you age ginger?
It also has a more mild flavor. Mature ginger (what the OP calls "old ginger" is simply grown longer and has a tougher skin, and more pungent taste.How do you age ginger root?
Simply pop the peeled ginger into one of your favorite spirits, such as vodka or whiskey, and then let that sit in the freezer. The high alcohol content will preserve the ginger, and alcohol's low freezing-point means it won't turn into a ginger alcopopsicle anytime soon.What is the difference between new and old ginger?
Wrinkled ginger is usually stale, so avoid buying that. - Fresh ginger is light brown in colour, with a slightly pink tinge. Coming to its taste, fresh ginger can be any degree of sweet, spicy and tangy, with temperature ranging from mild to hot. - Once you have bought ginger, it is important to store it well.What is the lifespan of a ginger?
Store fresh ginger in the refrigerator or freezer. If left unpeeled, it can keep for up to 3 weeks in refrigeration or up to 6 months frozen.7 Ways to Store GINGER (or Turmeric)
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Answer 2
You can buy dried ginger, which should be more or less the texture and flavour you're looking for - it comes in bags and is already chopped up. Otherwise, 'old' ginger is just old, shriveled up, desiccated, fibrous ginger that has lost all its fluid.
Unfortunately, trying to deliberately create it isn't easy because the fresher the ginger is when you buy it, the more fluid it contains, and it tends to go mouldy, as you discovered. You might have more luck leaving it somewhere cool with plenty of air flow, but it takes quite a while (months rather than weeks) to become completely fibrous.
Answer 3
Probably a long shot - but are you thinking about a preparation of dried ginger common across India ('sonth' in Hindi)? It is available in powder as well as root form, and is used as a spice. Here are some links:
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
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