What’s my favourite ginger? Although he’s right up there at the top of the list, it’s not Chef Bobby Flay.
When you come from Michigan, you know that the best-tasting, most effective cure-all is Vernor’s Ginger-ale.
Unfortunately, since we moved to Kentucky, it’s not always available. So, when I have an extremely horrible upset stomach (symptoms of my Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and extreme Acid Reflux), I grab the next best thing: real ginger.
Ginger has a very long history of use in medicine. It helps digestion, relieves nausea (including morning sickness), fights the flu and common cold, reduces inflammation, muscle pain and blood sugar, just to name a few of it’s benefits.
When desperate, I chew it raw. Yuk! It’s fibrous and extremely potent. But, recently, I WAS desperate. I had a horrible IBS attack and couldn’t find any other relief. My husband took pity on me and candied it. Eureka!
It was super easy, delicious and brought tremendous relief! Eddie used Alton Brown’s Recipe found on the Food Network website. It took about one hour from start to finish.
CANDIED GINGER
Ingredients
- Raw Ginger Root
- Sugar (We use Turbinado, a raw sugar)
- Water
Instructions
Peel the ginger. The easiest way is to rub the back of the knife over the surface. It removes the skin but leaves most of the root. Do not put your thumb on the edge of the blade out of habit! Blood doesn’t add any benefits!
Slice the ginger into like-sized pieces. Most will be rounds or half-rounds.
Place it in a medium saucepan and add enough water to cover well. (We used 2 large roots and 5 cups of water.) Bring it to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover and cook until tender (approximately 35 minutes).
Remove from heat and set aside 1/4 of the liquid. Drain it in a colander.
Place cooked ginger, 1 cup sugar (or Turbinado) and the reserved liquid back into the saucepan. Bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat and cook until the liquid crystalizes, stirring FREQUENTLY (about 20 minutes).
Turn it onto a rack to cool. Store in an airtight container for a month (or longer).
The next time you have heartburn or indigestion, don’t reach for the TUMS. Reach for the ginger, instead!
I will have to try this.
please, do, and let me know if it’s as effective for you. so far, it helped me, my daughter and my husband….
I am on it. I need Ginger too!
Great job!
thank you! you can buy it at the grocery or bulk food store, but i found them to be far too sweet… and they cost more! but in times of desperation…
My batch had good flavor, but the texture wasn’t good – it was very fiberous. Should I have boiled it longer, or did I use the wrong kind of ginger?