Picking good ginger is also an art: Young ginger for stir-frying, old ginger for soups (Picture)
Ginger is a common household condiment and a food with high medicinal value. Zhang Ping, director of the Genetic Engineering Center at the Laiwu Academy of Agricultural Sciences in Shandong Province, says that selecting good ginger is a skill in itself.
There are two types of ginger: young ginger and old ginger. Young ginger generally refers to fresh ginger with tender sprouts. The ginger rhizome is tender, contains a lot of moisture, has less fiber, is pale in color, and has a smooth skin with a mild spicy flavor. Old ginger has a tan-yellow appearance, a rougher skin than young ginger with visible lines, and a spicy taste. When selecting ginger, pay attention to three points: First, don't choose ginger that is too clean on the surface; a smooth surface is sufficient. Second, squeeze it with your hand; you should buy ginger that is firm, not soft, and has fresh sprouts. Lastly, you can also smell it. If there is a faint sulfur smell, do not buy it.
Young ginger has a mild spicy flavor and a crisp, tender texture, and is generally used for stir-frying or pickled foods, such as candied ginger. For example, in stir-fried beef shreds, the beef is tender and smooth, and the mild spiciness of the young ginger is just right. Old ginger is spicy and is generally used as a seasoning. It is perfect for making soups and stewing meat. Old ginger has high medicinal value. For instance, to prevent colds, one must use old ginger, which is why the saying goes, "Old ginger is spicier." (Wang Yue)