Ginger
Zingiber officinale · Spice
Top 10 pairings
Few spices are used as widely as ginger, a knobbly, pale-skinned underground stem. Raw, its fibrous, lemon-yellow flesh is fiery and citrus-fresh; dried, it turns warm and woody.
Picking a good onedrag
Plump and taut, sharp on the snapShrivelled, soft or smelling of nothing
Firm but dryingEveryday bestIt's firmer and hotter now. Peel, slice thin across the grain, then stir-fry or braise.
Press and heftFirm, skin slack at an old cut end
Look at the skinDarker, no sheen: normal in shops
Snap a finger and smellMore fibre, juicy, still aromatic
Fresh, dried or groundWhole dried, warm and sharply hot