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Cooking with fresh ginger was once an aspirational thing in my life. I imagined the boldly flavored stir-fries I’d whip up, the from-scratch ginger tea I’d brew, the ginger simple syrup that would raise my homemade cocktail game. But anytime I bought a knob of ginger, I resented the time it took to prep, and dreaded having to peel it. I’d tried all the methods: using a spoon to steadfastly scrape off the skin, employing a vegetable peeler that took off half the flesh too, whittling away at it with a paring knife until my nerves frayed along with the ginger’s fibers. Plus, anytime I tried to mince ginger or use a microplane to grate it, I found myself fighting against the grains of the ginger’s flesh. Even when I’d mustered up the courage and the time to peel and mince my own ginger, I only ever ended up using the inch or so that the recipe called for before promptly forgetting about it in my crisper drawer until it had dried out. When I typed in “ginger” to add to my grocery pick-up, I saw a promising alternative. Once I discovered the time- and stress-saving genius of Dorot Gardens Crushed Ginger, my dream became reality.
What is Dorot Gardens Crushed Ginger?
Each tray contains 16 cubes of frozen crushed ginger, which also have citrus fibers and lemon juice to hold it together. A cube is equivalent to one teaspoon of ginger, making it super simple to deploy. Simply pop one of the oval orbs through the thin protective plastic sheet and add to any dish where a teaspoon or two of fresh ginger is called for. Slide the frozen cubes into slow-simmering curries, soups, and stews, plus all manners of stir-fries or pan-fried noodles.
How do you cook with it?
Unsure how to use frozen ginger cubes? For the easiest dinner ever, heat neutral oil in a sauté pan over medium heat, add 1 cube frozen crushed ginger and 1 sliced garlic clove, let sizzle for 30 to 60 seconds, then pour in a bag of frozen or pre-cut veggies and sauté for 5 minutes, or until the veggies are warmed through and have attained the desired texture. You can also thaw the ginger cubes and whisk them into marinades destined for chicken, pork, or tofu, or into dressings to drizzle over fresh salads and roasted veggies.
For baking, simply thaw the desired amount and use it in recipes that call for fresh ginger, such as cookies, puddings, or cakes. I’m willing to bet it’d make a fine addition to quick breads and muffins, like a ginger-spiked banana bread or hearty oat-zucchini muffins.
Drinks, anyone?
But my favorite way to use Dorot Gardens frozen ginger cubes is in beverages. You can toss one into a smoothie to give it a refreshing, healthful zing; drop into a glass of iced or hot tea to impart a pop of ginger spiciness; or boil a couple ginger cubes with water, lemon slices, and honey to make a soothing ginger tea.
For a superlative cocktail ingredient, make a ginger simple syrup: Boil 3 cubes crushed ginger with 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup water. Once the sugar fully dissolves, remove the pan from the heat and let the ginger steep until the mixture cools. Then strain the syrup and discard the ginger. Store in the fridge in a resealable container for up to a week. This ginger syrup works wonders in mojitos, Moscow Mules, and any bourbon-based tipple.
My favorite cocktail goes something like this: To a cocktail shaker, add 1½ ounces bourbon, 1 ounce fresh lemon juice, and ½ ounce ginger syrup and fill with ice. Shake till the shaker’s exterior gets very cold (15 to 20 seconds), then strain into a Collins glass filled with ice and top with ginger ale or ginger beer. This ginger simple syrup can also be used to bring an invigorating sweetness to iced tea, lemonade, and spirit-free spritzes (it pairs particularly well with grapefruit seltzer).
Thanks to these crushed ginger cubes, I no longer dread when a recipe calls for fresh ginger. It’s made me wonder what other time-saving hacks and flavor potential I’m missing out on — good thing Dorot Gardens also makes frozen crushed garlic and turmeric cubes, as well as herbs like basil, parsley, cilantro, and dill.
PHOTO CREDIT:
Photography: Paul Quitoriano
Art Direction: Sarah Ceniceros Gomez
