Ginger - Fresh vs. Ground

Stephen_Leak

I have a recipe for beef curry. For 2 servings, it specifies a "2cm (1 inch) piece of fresh ginger" in the ingredients. I found fresh ginger in the supermarket, but it is expensive, and I don't know if or when I will use any left-over again. They do jars of ground ginger, which are much cheaper (30p).

I can't see any reason why you can't use ground ginger in place of fresh ginger. But how much ground ginger is the same as a "2cm (1 inch) piece"?

PS. It also specifies 125g of butter for frying off the beef, onions & garlic, etc. Surely, this could be safely substituted for a couple of tablespoons of cooking oil?

MRSMCAWBER

Hi there

I find a lot of difference between fresh n ground ginger...i love fresh but can't stand ground

You don't have to buy a whole big lump of ginger, if your supermarket sells it loose -you can just break one "knobble" off and if you do have to much you can throw it in the freezer just as it is...and if the skin is good, you don't even need to peel it -just grate the whole thing ....
hope it helps

sorry -and yes you can use oil....instead of butter

bubblebathgirl

I find fresh ginger to be much cheaper in asian shops we have lots in leeds:D As mrs m says grate and freeze i also find ground ginger_pale_

Debt_Free_Chick

Fresh ginger keeps for weeks in the salad drawer of the fridge.

morwenna

I keep fresh ginger in the freezer - I tape the bag to the lid of my chest freezer so that I am not doing the chest freezer rummage thing!

Cruiksl

You can also get ginger in sunflower oil that keeps longer. Have also got the garlic one as well.

Justamum

Just to stick my two penn'orth in. I used to use ground ginger in curries, then decided to use the fresh and it makes such a difference in taste. Now I only use ground in baking where you can't use the fresh.

The fresh is expensive per pound/kilo, but the actual amount you buy doesn't cost much. I have to admit to not freezing it before, so I've usually eventually thrown out the remaining, shrivelled up lump, but I'll do that in future. It

vixtress

morwenna wrote: »

I keep fresh ginger in the freezer - I tape the bag to the lid of my chest freezer so that I am not doing the chest freezer rummage thing!

now thats a good idea!! :T

Swan_2

I chop it into use-able sized pieces before freezing, ie ... whatever your favourite recipe specifies
another advantage of freezing it is that it if you need to grate it, it's much easier to do when it's frozen/semi frozen

I've also got some that I blitzed in the food processor & froze in ice cube trays then tipped into a bag, very handy

windowshopper100

..... and if you did want to peel it (but it's not always necessary as Mrs Mc says) you can peel it with a spoon. Just run the spoon down the ginger, obviously turn the spoon with the bowl away from the ginger and use the rim, otherwise you'll just be stroking it.

WS100