Ginger

About

Ginger, native to Southeast Asia and now grown widely, varies in flavor by growing region. Fresh ginger is generally lemony, woody and earthy with noticeable heat; ginger grown in West Africa tends to be richer, more pungent and camphorous, closer to cardamom, while Australian ginger is considered the most lemony due to higher citral content. It is used in both sweet and savory contexts and is available fresh, dried, ground, candied, pickled, in syrup, juiced, and in soft and alcoholic drinks.

Pairs well with ginger

• CiLemonFresh ginger has a citrusy quality that makes it a natural match for lemon -- in ginger pudding with lemon sauce, lemon icing on ginger…
• SuEggChinese 'century eggs' are preserved for weeks or longer in a mixture of lime, salt, ash and water until the white turns amber and…
• CiOrangeGinger and orange share a spicy-citrusy quality -- Finnish gingerbread spice mixes include Seville orange powder alongside cinnamon, clove…
• FrTomatoMrs.
• SuGarlicGinger is the mild one -- fresh and light, good at drawing out sweetness in meat, seafood and greens -- while garlic is coarser and more…
• WoAlmondGingerbread and marzipan are a classic combination associated with European Christmas markets, traditionally shaped as gingerbread…
• SpCinnamonA core pairing in gingerbread, historically sweetened with honey and pepper and now usually molasses with a touch of clove.
• RoChocolateDark chocolate-covered stem ginger pairs bitter, mentholated chocolate with sweet ginger heat.
• MeBeefBeef combines well with ginger's tang, appearing in Thai and Chinese stir-fries and in a crunchy battered ginger beef developed in Calgary…
• BeMintGinger mint, a hybrid variety, tastes close to peppermint with just a hint of ginger.
• MePorkShogayaki, Japanese fried ginger pork, is the classic form of this pairing, though the same technique works with beef or squid.
• FfVanillaA Boston Cooler swaps the cola in a root beer float for ginger ale, topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
• GrChiliChili's heat is sometimes added to ginger ale for extra kick, highlighting the pairing's natural intensity.
• FfHoneyHoney sweetened gingerbread before sugar became cheap, and darker varieties like chestnut or buckwheat honey -- specifically recommended…
• CiLimeA Moscow Mule combines vodka, lime and ginger beer, though it can be made with milder ginger ale plus a dash of Angostura bitters for depth.
• SuOnionScallions are ginger's classic partner in Chinese cooking, versatile enough to turn even plain tofu savory.
• RoSesameToasted sesame's dense, smoky flavor benefits from fresh ginger's brightness cutting through it, as in a simple dressing of toasted sesame…
• RoCoffeeSeventeenth-century English coffeehouses served coffee black with optional ginger, clove, cinnamon or spearmint.
• MaOily FishThe pickled ginger (gari) served with sushi is meant as a palate cleanser between different fish, not to be eaten alongside a piece of…
• BrMisoA little fresh ginger grated over miso soup cuts through its intensity and sharpens the other flavors, much like lemon juice on fried fish.
• SpPeppercornPeppercorns were the traditional heat source in gingerbread before cayenne took over; cracked black pepper gives a woody, mildly fruity…
• CrRaisinRaisins are often too large and soft for gingerbread decoration and can turn leathery or bitter in the oven, according to cookie-industry…
• CrDateGinger's lean, sharp bite contrasts with the sugary, brown-sugar sweetness of dates, a pairing common in sweet dishes; both ingredients…
• EaLentilGari, the pink pickled ginger served with sushi, gives an otherwise plain Puy or beluga lentil dish the acidic brightness it can lack.
• GrBuckwheatIn China's Shanxi province, a steamed paste of buckwheat and ginger is sliced and served with chili oil, garlic and sesame; fresh ginger…
• GrKaleThe Scottish cook Catherine Brown prefers kale raw or stir-fried, pairing it with ginger, whose warmth complements the nutty flavor…
• EaRyeDrinks writer Dave Broom calls ginger ale "whisky's finest mixer," since ginger's spiciness echoes the natural spice notes whisky picks up…
• MaSeaweedSweet pickled ginger is meant as a palate cleanser between sushi courses rather than eaten alongside seaweed-wrapped rolls, though its…
• SuCabbageStir-frying cabbage with fresh ginger restores some of the crisp spiciness lost in cooking.
• BeCranberryA cocktail combining cranberry juice, ginger beer and lime over crushed ice balances cranberry's sweet-tart, slightly tannic character…