Pickled ginger: homemade recipe

What are the benefits of pickled ginger? It is not for nothing that this spice is so valued all over the world. The product prepared in this way retains many useful substances for which the fresh root is famous. Can I make my own pickled ginger? The recipe at home is quite simple.

Pickled ginger: benefits and harms

Pickled ginger contains a lot of bioactive substances; they are preserved with this harvesting method almost without loss. Vitamins C, A, group B, organic acids, iron, potassium, calcium, magnesium, essential oils - pickled ginger can be called a storehouse of useful substances. This spice allows you to maintain immunity and protect yourself from viruses during the ARVI season; it also has a beneficial effect on the appearance of ginger lovers: it helps to lose weight, helps cleanse the skin, and smooth out wrinkles.

Ginger is famous as an antioxidant, diaphoretic, anthelmintic product, and it also supports libido in both women and men. Isn’t it great - an immunomodulator, an aphrodisiac, and just a tasty seasoning?

However, it is worth considering that not only does pickled ginger bring beneficial properties to the body, but there are also contraindications for use. For example, it is not allowed for people with:

stomach disease;
liver diseases;
impaired renal function.

Also, you should not get carried away with pickled spices during pregnancy and lactation. You shouldn’t give pickled ginger to small children either!

Pickled ginger: calories

You can safely include pickled on a weight watchers menu. The pickled product contains only about 50-55 kilocalories per 100 grams. In addition to its low energy value, in this form it activates metabolism, promotes the breakdown of fat, and helps to lose excess weight. Naturally, this does not mean that the effect will appear if you eat ginger as a bite with a hamburger or fries.

How to pickle ginger at home: secrets of housewives and basic cooking principles

Before you pickle ginger at home, you need to buy it. And this must be done competently. Carefully inspect the roots - they should be smooth, light, without rot or dark spots. The skin of a fresh root is thin, pliable, and is no more difficult to peel than peeling a potato.

The thinner the peel is peeled, the more benefits the root will retain in the marinade. The peeled root must be cut into very thin circles, this is done against the growth of the fibers. Then the ginger circles are placed in a saucepan, poured with boiling water, salted and boiled for 3-5 minutes.
Next, the water is drained and the root pieces are cooled.
The marinade is prepared in a separate container. For this, vinegar is used: rice, apple, regular. This marinade is then poured over the boiled ginger, covered with a tight lid and left to marinate in the refrigerator for three days. The spice is stored in the refrigerator.
For longer and more reliable storage, it is better to sterilize jars. Usually it is not worth storing ginger for more than a month, so it is better to pickle in small portions, because the process itself is not troublesome and can easily be repeated monthly.

Where to apply the pickled root next? You can put it in salads, meat dishes, rolls or sushi.

Watch the homemade pickled ginger recipe video:

Pickled ginger - homemade recipe

There are many recipes for making pickled ginger. And Russian housewives have gone much further than the Japanese, the founders of ginger pickling. Ginger is not marinated with anything in our kitchens. Vinegar, lemon, and vodka are used... But first, it’s better to master simpler recipes. Here they are.

With apple cider vinegar

The root is subjected to a good “wash” under running water. Then the peel is removed in a thin layer, and the pulp is cut into thin shavings with a thin knife or vegetable cutter.
Boil it for no more than 5 minutes in boiling water, drain the water and cool. For marinade for 250 grams of ginger root, take 120 ml of apple cider vinegar and 70 ml of ordinary boiled water, 30 g of salt and 25 g of honey. Honey can easily be replaced with sugar (40 g).
The water is heated, honey (sugar) and salt are dissolved in boiling water. Then add apple cider vinegar and stir.
Ginger shavings are placed in a jar and filled with marinade. Then, covered with a lid, the jar is kept in the refrigerator for three days. After this, the ginger is ready for use.

With regular vinegar

Pickling ginger root with simple vinegar is the most common recipe among similar ones in Russian cuisine. Ginger root is prepared for pickling as usual. And the marinade is made like this:

Take a liter of water. It needs to be boiled. Dissolve 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar in it, half as much salt (a tablespoon).
When the salt and sugar crystals are completely dissolved, it’s time to add vinegar.
The marinade is thoroughly mixed and boiled ginger chips placed in a jar are poured over it. This amount of marinade is enough for 400-500 grams of root.

Ginger is marinated in ordinary vinegar for three days. Then it can be eaten.

For rolls

Japanese cuisine is valued here in Russia, and for good reason. Many people love rolls with ginger, but to prepare them, you need to know how to pickle ginger at home. The recipe for this is simple. However, it should be prepared in advance, since the ginger will marinate for three days. Therefore, it is not necessary to immediately purchase the remaining ingredients for the rolls.

So, pickled ginger for rolls is made from:

sake - 50 ml, but in the absence of rice, plain vodka will do;
dry red wine - 35 ml;
cane (or regular) sugar - 50 g;
table salt - 20 g;
rice vinegar - 80 g.

This marinade is designed for 250 grams of ginger root. The root is washed, peeled, and chopped. Keep it in boiling water for 2-4 minutes. Then the water is drained and the root is transferred to a clean jar.
The marinade is prepared as follows: sugar and salt are dissolved in water, then vodka and wine are added, and vinegar is added last. Pour the still hot marinade over the ginger and leave the jar covered with a lid for 3-4 days in the cold.

Well, then you can calmly call your friends and invite them to homemade rolls.

Simple recipe: no vinegar

The easiest way to pickle ginger root is this one. It does not require vinegar, which makes the product even healthier, and for some, perhaps tastier! This ginger is a good medicine for colds, it heals with a bang.

For 300-350 grams of fresh root you only need:

50-70 ml of freshly squeezed lemon juice;
half a glass of liquid honey.

You need to wash and peel the ginger, cut it very thinly and blanch in boiling water for about half a minute. Then you need to remove the colander and allow all the water to drain.

Mix honey and lemon juice in a bowl, add ginger pieces to this mixture and mix thoroughly. You can use it within an hour, but it’s better to let it marinate overnight - the taste will only benefit from this.

Quick recipe

Is there a way to pickle ginger very quickly? Yes!

To prepare the marinade, take: a tablespoon of salt and two of sugar, 250 ml of Japanese rice vinegar. Mix the marinade ingredients, place the saucepan with it on the stove, and, without bringing to a boil, keep stirring until the sugar and salt crystals dissolve. Then we send a 200-gram piece of ginger root, cut into thin shavings, directly into the marinade. Stir and cook for about 25-30 minutes on low power. Ginger may take on a greenish tint - this is normal.

For storage, use a clean jar with a tight lid and a refrigerator.

For the winter

We love to do food preparations in the winter - this can’t be taken away from us! We prepare literally everything: you never know how harsh the Russian winter will be? And it would also be nice to pickle some ginger for future use. Is it possible to do this? Certainly!

In order for ginger to be stored in your refrigerator all winter, the preparation must be done correctly. First of all, sterilize the jars and lids well. Then we start preparing.
First, ginger (half a kilo) is washed and peeled, cut and boiled in boiling water for 5 minutes. Next, you need to place the blanched pieces in a colander and let the water drain completely.
To prepare the marinade in a saucepan, mix 400 ml of rice vinegar with 150 ml of vodka, add 2 tablespoons of salt and ½ cup of cane sugar or regular beetroot “sand”.
Keep the marinade on the stove until it boils, stir, allowing the sugar and salt to dissolve. Then we put the ginger into jars and pour the marinade on top while it’s still hot. Immediately roll up the jars with clean lids and insulate them under a blanket until they cool.

Pink recipe

Many people have probably seen that pickled ginger root has a delicate pinkish tint. It's beautiful and delicious. But only young and fresh roots can have natural pinkness. Acetic acid reacts with anthocyanins in its composition, causing ginger to turn pink. However, it is not so easy to buy ginger root that is so young - it is not grown here, but imported from China or Asia. What kind of freshness are we talking about? Resourceful cooks use beetroot juice or red wine for coloring.

To pickle pink ginger you will need:

ginger root - 300 g;
apple cider vinegar - ½ cup;
a piece of fresh beet;
granulated sugar - a couple of tablespoons;
plain water - 4 tablespoons.

The root must be prepared for pickling. The marinade is made like this: vinegar, sugar and water are mixed. The beets are cut into strips.
Place a layer of ginger in a jar, add a layer of beets, then another layer of ginger. We do this until we run out of food. Fill with marinade. Cover the jar with a lid and put it in the refrigerator for three days.

Ginger root is medicinal and quite tasty, but storing it for a long time is not easy. This method of preparation, such as pickling, significantly extends the shelf life. Why buy in store pickled ginger? Homemade recipe It’s simple, and this spice tastes even better than store-bought. Homemade ginger is excellently stored, but it also runs out quickly - this is its main drawback. Therefore, be prepared that you will have to marinate often, but it does not take much effort or much time.