Ginger: Zingy Vibes

Ginger  - Common Ginger, Luya, or Cooking Ginger

BOTANICAL NAME

Zingiber officinale

PLANT TYPE

Perennial Herb

SUN EXPOSURE

Full Morning Sun, Semi or Full Afternoon Shade

SOIL TYPE

Well-drained loamy or sandy soil; Moist soil

SOIL pH

5.5-6.5

FUN FACTS               

           

Ginger plant is known for its spicy aromatic swollen underground stems, called rhizome, which usually grow about 1.5-2.5 cm thick, whereas for the annual stem could grow up to 1-5 feet tall by 5 feet wide, at a fast rate. This is a flowering plant has a cone-shaped flower head with pale-yellow to yellow-green (or chartreuse) color. The alternatively arranged mid-green leaves are long and narrow. Ginger is in the family Zingiberaceae, to which turmeric also belong. This warm-climate plant had originated in the tropical rainforest in Southern Asia.

Culinary Uses

Ginger is best known as a hot, pungent, zingy-sweet, aromatic spice. This spice is produced from the rhizome or underground stem; hence the spice is sometimes referred as ginger root. The underground part of the ginger has a distinctive thickened and branched, from brown to tan-colored outer layer, and knotty is texture, appearing somewhat like a swollen hand. This skin is usually removed prior to cooking or consuming reveal a yellow, soft, juicy and fibrous meat.

The pungent principles in ginger rhizome are the non-volatile phenolic compounds gingerol, gingeridione and shogaol as many described a zingy sweet aromatic and lemon-like scent. A dried rhizome is twice as pungent as the fresh ones [1], could be grated and stored for later use. The rhizomes are widely used in many areas of the world as food and beverage flavoring and seasoning. It is a culinary ingredient added to create a mild-hot spicy flavor to dishes such as curries, chutneys, stir-fry, and soup-based like ‘Tinolang Manok’. The very young rhizomes are ideal eaten raw in salads, pickled in vinegar, and cooked in syrup and made into sweetmeats or candies, like ‘shoga no sato zuke.’ While dried powdered ginger root is used as flavoring in cakes and pastries, like gingerbread and cookies. They are also commonly used in beverage like beer, wine, coffee and tea, like ‘salabat’ [2]. Ginger oil, the oleoresin, an essential oil obtained from rhizomes is used to flavor in essences candies and beverages, like ginger beer and ginger ale.

The young leaves and shoot are slightly spicy can be eaten as a potherb or pureed, then used in hot sauces and dips. The leaves can also be used to wrap food whilst it is cooked bringing a fresh mint-like flavor.  

Medicinal Uses

The Ginger rhizomes or root, fresh or dried is commonly used in Eastern Herbal treatments, as evident in Chinese medicine used it as an ingredient about half of all of its prescriptions. As mentioned above, the root is rich in non-volatile phenolic compounds, as well as volatile oils responsible for it zingy sweet  aroma that stimulates the production of saliva and somehow promotes appetite believing it also aids in digestion and promotes bile flow from the gall bladder into the duodenum, or the first section of the small intestine. It is used as a folk medicine that helps control nausea and vomiting, which include morning and motion sickness but no conclusive evidence that it helps alleviate chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting [3]. While a warm ginger-broth believed to be carminative (stimulate flatulence) hence used to relieve indigestion and colic. It is also believed to be a stimulant, diaphoretic (induces perspiration), expectorant, and emmenagogue (stimulate menstrual flow). However, there is no clear evidence that ginger is not effective treatment for dysmenorrheal or menstrual cramps [4], and cause miscarriage or harm during pregnancy.

 Externally, the crushed root topically applied is due to analgesic and rubefacient quality, it warms and increases blood flow and helps calms the nerves, relieves spasms, cramps, pains and sprains [1].

Ginger is recognized as generally safe but the topical use of ginger may cause allergic reaction result as a skin rash [5]. Ginger can also cause heartburn and other similar side effects, particularly in powdered form [5]. Large quantities of unchewed fresh ginger may result in intestinal blockage and inflammatory bowel disease [5]. If an individual has already developed gallstone, it is advice to stay away from it, as it may stimulate the bile and cause some adverse pain [6]. It may have drug interaction with warfarin and aspirin, anticoagulants, and nifedipine, a cardiovascular drug [5]. Thus, it is advice to exercise some precaution.

NTS: This blog initially declined to present any medicinal uses of the plants as most are unfounded claim. For safety reason, felt compelled to provide the general proven and unfounded effects with the hopes that reasonable precaution would be taken when utilizing the plants. Moreover, this blog cannot take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of the plant. Always seek advice from a professional before using for medicinally purpose.

Other Uses

Ginger oil, an essential oil obtained from rhizomes is commonly used as an ingredient in perfumery, cosmetics and medicines.

PLANTING

Preparation

      A greenhouse if in seasonal zones; or a semi-shade or shady corner in a tropical zone

      Large 36-inch deep container

      Broken pottery for drainage

      Well-drained loamy or sandy soil; or a potting soil mix of one part sad and one part compost; sanitize and free form pest, fungus and parasites

Propagation

By Division

Part to cut:

      A firm rhizome, an underground stem, sometime referred as ginger root;choose the part that has bumpy bud eye

Length of cutting:

      About an inch thick or thumb size

When to plant:

After soaking the cut root in warm for 24 hours

Rhizome Depth:

An inch deep, with the bud eye pointing up, then water lightly

Rhizome & Plant Spacing:

12-15 inches apart

Days to Sprout:

14-21 days

When to transplant:

Plant directly on soil or a large container

By Cutting

Ginger has been successfully propagated at Kew, London using intermodal cuttings, but specifics on what and how to cut, length of cuttings and days it took for roots to grow were not shared. It has been noted that the cutting method produced vigorous plants.

CARE AND CULTIVATION

Care Level:

EASY

Watering:

Water as needed

In the tropics, water daily preferably when the soil is cool, in the morning or cooled down, in the late afternoon

When ginger producing rhizomes, about 3 months in, reduce water to allow soil to dry slightly at the time of production. This is to ensure a healthy rhizomes, then ensure that the soil remain moist, may add mulch.

Growing Notes:

Full sun in the morning but shady during hot afternoons

A mildly acidic soil for healthy growth and rhizome production

If using a store-bought potting soil, fertilize in a regular schedule every two, six or eight weeks. Fertilize with nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium rich compost mix, and calcium nitrate to prevent tip rot. Avoid fertilizing before a rainstorm.

Since ginger rhizomes develop under the soil, adequate coverage is require to protect the rhizome from elements above, guard against soil erosion.

Provide shelter from strong wind and rainfall          

Bring the container-grown ginger indoors when temperatures drop to about 50 degree Fahrenheit (10 degree Celsius)

Flower Blooming:     

From March to August, ginger produces clusters of white and pink flower bud that bloom into a cone-shaped flowering head of pale-yellow, yellow or chartreuse in color with a purplish lip that has yellowish dots and striations

Flowering stems are rare

Companion plants:

Shrubs in the legume family like red clover, peas a or beans

Lemongrass

Tumeric

Galagal

Cardamom

Cilantro – at the edge

Chili peppers – at the edge

Kaffir lime

Pests and Diseases:

Tip rot – indicates calcium deficient soil, therefore calcium additive may be necessary

Common garden snails – crushed egg shell around the plants

Root knot nematodes – pre-planting preparation sanitize soil

Mealy bug

Red spider mite

HARVEST

Days to Harvest:

About eight to 10 months of growing season, when leaves and stalks begin to turn yellow or wither [1]

Storage:

In a plastic bag refrigerated or frozen

Dried, grated and/or powdered dry

Cooked in sugar until soft, crystallized ginger

It is ‘Tinolang Manok’ time!

Is this plant interesting? If you want to know more about this plant or any plants please post your questions, inquiries and requests in the comment section below, and do not forget to follow. If you find this article lacking, please share why and do post reactions, suggestions and corrections. And maybe follow to somehow help this blog post better content. Thank you!

As always enjoy all plants and gardening!

References

1. Bown, D. (1995). Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. London: Dorling Kindersley.

2. Hardon, A. (2001). Applied Health Research Manual: Anthropology of Health and Health Care. New Jersey, US: Transaction Publishers.

3. Ernst, E. & Pittler, M. (2000, March 1). Efficacy of ginger for nausea and vomiting: a systematic review of randomized clinical trials. British Journal of Anesthesia, 84(3), 367-371.

4. Pattanittum, P., Kunyanone, N., Brown, J., et al. (2016). Dietary supplements for dysmenorrhoea. Cochrane Library Database (Systematic review). Retrieved from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD002124.pub2/abstract

5. National Center For Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH).  (n.d.). Ginger. [Blog post]. Retrieved From https://nccih.nih.gov/health/ginger . Retrieved on 2017, October 6.

6. University of Maryland Medical Center. (n.d.). Ginger. Retrieved from http://www.umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/ginger . Retrieved on 2017, October 6. 

Soil Additives for the Garden

It use to be gardening is a very simple, easy and relaxing endeavor may it be for pleasure of for profit. Now a days, it is growing more complicated and complex not by the volume of new data and variety of floras but confusing gardening terms and products, which gardeners tend to use in varying ways. As a novice gardener it would be taxing and uninspiring as most of the confusing terms are encountered early step of gardening, especially in preparing the soil in a garden.

Soil is the foundation of any garden and farm and having a good soil in a garden, if not perfect, needs some preparation.  To do that, most employ the old school and modest solution of simply adding some organic matters, like finished compost. Other would take a modern approach which would be incorporating various soil additives.

Gardening Terms of Different Soil Additives

Zeolite

Zeolite is a very porous mineral used in industry as a filtering agent for water, as a stockfeed supplement and horticulture, as a soil additive. Due to its porous nature, each particle has a large surgace area , enabling ‘cation wxchange.’ This means that it can hold and exchange nutrients require by plants, making nutrients readily available.

Sponglite

Sponglite, silicon dioxide, is an ancient, fossilized sea sponges. It is used in agriculture, to capture industrial spilled liquids, in cat litter, fire retardant products, and thermal insulation. It is comprised of almost 99% silica. Silica plays an important role on strengthening cell structure in plants, making them less susceptible to pest and disease attack. It also aids in healthy flower and fruit production.  Lightweight and extremely porous, it has a natural ability to hold water. The silica-based strong sponge structure make it hard to break sown, thus it is ideal in additive in potting and garden soil. The down side, its dust particle is abrasive similar to asbestos, precaution should be taken.

Gypsum

Gypsum, is also known as hydrated calcium sulfate- a pH neutral, occurs as a saline evaporate mineral from ancient watercourses, like limestone. It is a major industrial mineral used in products from paper to paint, and also as a food additive. In the garden, it is used as clay breaker, helping to improve the soil structure by alleviating compaction that would   increase the air and water infiltration and plant roots penetration through the soil. However, clay soil that need improving need to be tested as not all clay soil will respond to gypsum.  

Bentonite

Bentonite is a kind of clay formed from decomposed volcanic ash minerals like montmorillonite and beidellite. It has many industrial uses from sinking oil wells to dam lining to cat litter. In the garden, it is used for it water retention ability. It is useful in binding soil particles to create a crumb structure.

Perlite

Perlite is a volcanic glass that is heated to 1,600 degrees Fahrenheit. It has many industrial applications from masonry construction, cement and gypsum plasters and loose fill insulation. It is also use in pharmaceuticals and pool water filtration and as an abrasive agent in polishes, cleansers and soaps. In the garden, this lightweight material is used to it water retention quality as it comprised of tiny air compartments on the exterior of the particle and not inside. It is more porous ad tends to allow better aeration and drainage quality, suitable for plants that thrive in well-draining soil. It has a large surface area, thus it is suitable for plants that require level of high humidity. It is also use to foster stronger root formation in rooting cuttings propagation. The down side, it may cause fluoride burn, which appears as brown tips on houseplants.   

Vermiculite

Vermiculite is a hydrated laminar minerals, also called as aluminum-iron magnesium silicates. It is processed with massive heat that expands it into accordion shapped pellets composed of multiple layers of thin plates. It will not rot, deteriate or mold andis endurable, odorless, non-toxic and sterile. It has becoming more widely accepted alternative for asbestos as insulation, but it seems its dust particles is also as dangerous to respiratory health. In gardening, this very lightweight material is mix with soil to improve structure, as it increases water and nutrient retention and aeration. it has superior water retention, but less aerating ability compare to perlite, hence is it an amendable choice for water-loving plants.

Dolomite

Dolomite, otherwise known as calcium magnesium carbonate (calmag), occurs as a type if limestone. It is widely used in industry as a construction aggregate, cement manufacture and metallurgical flux. In agriculture and horticulture, it supply calcium and magnesium and will increase alkalinity of soil. pH testing is recommended to ascertain the correct amount of liming, it may cause nutrient deficiencies to plant when added to already alkaline soils.    

These are just few of different soil additives that initial comes up when talking about starting a garden and improving soil structure.  This is far from endorsing any of these soil additives or products.  Proper ratio and application have been omitted to discourage just random application. The goal is to initially encourage awareness and stimulate critical thinking before utilizing or not of such products. These soil additives commercially manufacture have some wonderful claims from ability of aeration, retain water, nutrients and mineral that is beneficial as a food source for microbes. Bolstering maximum efficiency and convenience in gardening, but keep in mind most of these are minerals and needed to be mined thus are non-renewable. Others have been manufactured and have disquieting precautionary measure. So, before jumping the promise of convenience, look into the long-term benefits not only for just a garden but the whole-wider environment.  The old-school and simpler solution of adding organic matter, like compost and mulch, may not provide the instant gratification of a robust garden, but it is a much safer and  enduring solution in improving soil structure.

Is this gardening tips interesting? If you want to know more about ratio of application of different soil additives post your questions and inquiries in the comment section below, and do not forget to follow. If you find this article lacking, please share why and do post reactions, suggestions and corrections. And maybe follow to somehow help this blog post better content. Thank you!

As always keep it simple and enjoy your garden!

Reference

Kinkead, E.B., Sehbai, D.S. & Tunney. C.J, (Eds.). (1972) Modern Century Illustrated Encyclopedia.(Vols 9).  Austialia: McGraw-Hill far Eastern Publishers.

Filipino Style Chicken Soup – Tinolang Manok

This is an easy and healthy recipe inspired from the classic very Filipino ‘Tinolang Manok’. ‘Tinola,’ in Filipino language, Tagalog and Visayan dialects, is a soup-based dish served as an appetizer or main entrée in the Philippines. Just like wines in France or cheeses in Italy varies from region to region, same with this chicken soup-based recipe every region and Filipino family has its own version.  However, for this recipe is sticking with the simple and basic ‘tinola’.

This recipe is good for 2-4 servings

Preparation Time:             15 minutes

Cooking Time:                   25-35 minutes

Ingredients:

  1 thumb size           ginger - sliced to strips

3-5 gloves              garlic - chopped

1 piece                   onion - chopped

4 pieces                 chicken drumstick

5 cups                    rice water or water

1 piece                   chayote or ‘sayote’ or green young papaya– sliced in wedge

A hand full              siling labuyo leaves or malonggay leaves – stripped from soft stem

1 teaspoon             fish sauce or ‘patis’

                               salt and ground black pepper

Procedures:

1.  In medium heat and preheated pan with vegetable oil, sauté ginger, garlic, and onion less than a minute. Add a pinch of salt and ground black pepper, and stir until almost translucent about a minute. Then, add in the chicken drumsticks and let it brown for 2 minutes.

2.  Take out ginger, garlic and onion and let the chicken continue to brown and form a fond for 2-3 minutes, then turn the chicken and let it brown for 3 minutes.

3.  Add back the ginger, garlic and onion and add 5 cups or 1.25 liter of rice water or just plain water. Let is simmer of 10-15 minutes to thoroughly cook the chicken. May lower the heat if need arise.

4. Add chayote let it continue to simmer until tender for about 5-8 minutes. Do not let it over cook the chayote.

5.  Add siling labuyo or malonggay leaves and fish sauce (patis), simmer for 2-3 minutes.

Definition of Terms:

1. Rice Water - water that have been used to wash uncooked rice; Some elders claim that the starch from the rice helps thicken the soup; But it is a great effort to reuse scarce resource, like water.

2. Fond – French for ‘base’; commonly refers to the browned bits and caramelized drippings of meat and vegetables that are stuck to the bottom of a pan after sautéing or roasting. A by-product of Maillard chemical reaction between amino acids and reducing sugar under heat.

Is this food recipe helpful and/or interesting? If you think so, please do try the recipe and let us know how it is by leaving comments. If you want to know more about this recipe please leave questions below. Such information helps inspire, initiate, and create useful blog material. And please don’t forget to follow. If you find this article lacking please feel free to post your reactions, suggestions, and corrections. And maybe follow to somehow aid this blog to create better content. Thank you!

As always enjoy cooking! Itadakimase! Kain na!

Inspired by: 

Food Wishes. (2017, September 27). Cider Braised Pork Shoulder – Pork Stewed in a creamy Apple Cider Sauce. [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://foodwishes.blogspot.com/2017/09/cider-braised-pork-shoulder-and-by.html

Good Quality for Kitchen Essentials

Smart Way to Build a Functional Kitchen

Third set of kitchen essential will focus on the importance of good quality. Items and equipments in the kitchen should be of good quality that would mean it last a lifetime, which in a human lifetime is about 30-50 years. A thing that has a great quality will last more than one lifetime, where it would be passed on and utilized to its fullest from one generation to another. The ultimate money saver is when an item has fully depreciated, in accounting-financial term, and lasted a lifetime but very much functional and efficient.

The first kitchen essentials reflects the initial items one needs in a kitchen to get one starting not only just cooking but also appreciating good healthy food. The second set of essentials discuss versatility, a bonus it also to set up so one could cook, a basic but delicious meal, Carbonara. This current set hope to convey that good quality is important. Price tag and/or a known brand are not signs of good quality; it takes mindfulness and critical desertion with the help of information from material and manufacturing process use, honest reviews, verifiable experience of other and oneself in order to conclude that certain item is of good quality. Let us sharpen that sensibility with the following kitchen essentials.

1. Kettle

Kettle, or teakettle, is a type of pot used in cooking, specifically for boiling water. Classically it is made from metal, with main structures of a lid, a spout and a handle. Considering kettle will be used every day, functionality wise a lighter weight stainless steel is practical than a cast-iron kettle. Copper kettle is another light weight but quite tedious to clean, similar with a cast-iron. Hence such types are not ideal for daily use, but would be fine as a cooking ware collection, like a Japanese cast-iron kettle called Tetsubin [1].

Another quality I consider in selecting a kettle that has a circular structure with a heavier the bottom, as it will conduct more heat. A long thin spout kettle would be ideal for coffee drinkers who used dripper, like me, but I will forgo for more utilitarian purpose of a goose neck spout. Then, for the rest of the appearance it is all purely for aesthetic reason, preferring a more classic look would mean it will never go out of style and it would outlive modern trends.

Plastic components are a concern in anything that is subjected in intense environment, like heat or cold. These are the parts that break easily and/or deforms and making a kettle looks unpleasant and harder to clean, hence functionally, quality and beauty wise it is a great letdown. So, it is more preferably having no or limited plastic component as much as possible.

Owning a kettle would be a money and time saving measure as you can make your own coffee and minimize buying over-priced, waste accumulating and high-sugar content commercial coffee. Making your own coffee or tea will help in reducing garbage and increasing your savings. It will also help in predicting what kind of food you will be preparing in the future.

2. Dripper

This is a must for all the coffee drinkers aka caffeine addicts out there. A wide range of designs and princes are available.  An alternative item for  tea and/or non coffee drinkers would be a small metal deep cone-shaped fine mesh sieve with long hooks and handle  to strain tea leaves and herbs for making tea; strain seeds and/or clumps for making sweets, custards and other pastries.  

3. Paring knife

The essential 8 inches chef knife is meant to be use on the cutting board, the 3-3.5 inches paring knife is meant to be use off the cutting board, like for peeling, coring and the likes. One could still use it on the cutting board for small work, but it meant to be use for the hand [2].

4. Flatware

Flatware denotes to flat tableware, such as dishes and saucers made of metal, but it is refer especially to eating and serving utensils, such as forks, spoons and knives [3]. It is basic cutlery but made of stainless steel, compare to silverware that is made of or plated with silver. Stainless steel flatware is produced with different alloy quality described by percentage of chrome that range from 18/10, 18/8, 18/0 to 13/0 [4]. The first number represent chromium, which gives the flatware rust and stain-resistant qualities, while the second number refers to amount of nickel, as there is more nickel the shiner it is, mimicking the sheen of silverware. There have been speculations that 18/10 doesn’t exist and it is just a marketing strategy, if you want to know more about this issue, let me know from your comment below. Another factor to consider is the finish, pertaining the comfortable edges, and smoothness.

       

5. Dishware

These are dishes used for serving food, a wide range of variety based on function, on material and manufacturing process. Since this article pertain to essential choosing for the purpose of kitchen aesthetic and/or entertainment might be better covered in another article. Dishes material and process varies from ceramics, fine china, bone china, stoneware to glass, would depend on its availability and affordability. The very basic items one needs are dinner plate, salad plate and soup bowl, and maybe a couple of serving plate. For the basic design and size of dishware would depend on the number of housemates. White is classic and safe to assume it is lead-free, hence a lot who like it simple are partial to the brand Corelle.

6. Glassware

Glassware is another type of drink ware, together with a couple of microwavable mugs, these are few essentials to add on, starting with tall highball glasses and short old-fashioned glasses. These are everyday glasses like the highball or tumbler type could contain 240 to 350 ml, the more volume the better. It is ideal for drinks with lots of ice and volume, like sodas, iced teas, iced coffee, shakes and smoothies, while the short old-fashioned glasses are for fruit juices. Other glassware like wine glasses, beer glasses and the likes are collections that would be suited under barware.   

Good quality synonymous to durability. Kitchen essential should be made for everyday use, and with basic care should last a lifetime. However, with profit-oriented industries and corrupt politicians who aims to deregulate quality standard due to vested interest the honesty to manufacture good quality product is becoming rare. With great hope this post provided good information for better decision making and inspires ideas that could help in assembling and/or improving one’s kitchen.

Is this article or its subject matter interesting? If you believe it is and would like to know more, please let it be known and leave comments or questions below. Such information helps inspire, initiate, and create useful blog material. And please don’t forget to follow. If you find this article lacking please feel free to post your reactions, suggestions, and corrections. And maybe follow to somehow aid this blog to create better content. Thank you!

As always enjoy cooking!

Reference

1. California Academy of Sciences. (n.d.). Tetsubins: Iron Treasures of Japan. [Blog post]. Retrieved from http://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/anthropology/tetsubin/index.html

2. Hiroyuki Terada - Diaries of a Master Sushi Chef. (2017, July 9). How To Choose The Perfect Knife - 4 Things To Consider. [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nTBEbMQBGQ

3. Merriam-Webster’s collegiate dictionary (10^th ed.). (1993). Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster. 

4. Crate&Barrel. (n.d.). Everything You Need to Know About Choosing Flatware. [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.crateandbarrel.com/ideas-and-advice/flatware-buying-guide