Today I have chosen to partner with
Mahindra’s # SeedTheRiseChallenge that's doing such amazing work for people who
need it the most - our farmers!
90% (if not more) Indian recipes will call for ginger in
some form; as a paste, grated, chopped fine, julienned, dried or powdered. It
is part of the triumvirate of flavor along with garlic and chilies that is at
the base of all dishes. In fact many cuisines and dishes that avoid garlic and
onion might still use ginger.
There is no doubt that ginger can work in conjunction with
other flavours. But why relegate this ingredient to always being the extra and
never the hero? Bring it out of the shadow of other ingredients and given the
chance, ginger can be a dominant flavour with elaan, offering limitless options
as an ingredient. The spicy aromatic notes of ginger can hold their own with
any flavour profile from savoury to sweet. In fact I can safely say there are
very few fruits or vegetables that do not pair well with ginger in some form.
And ginger also has a natural affinity to meats, poultry, and fish.
The first of the tender young ginger is now available in the
market, I just pickled some with Amba Haldi and chilies in salt and lime juice.
Young ginger with its tangy citrussy freshness has a light spiciness and mellow
sweetness that makes it gently warming and ideal to complement a range of raw
and lightly cooked dishes. Either finely julienne or dice and sprinkle a little
over north Indian chaats, salads or add at the end of cooking to stir-fries,
light broths and soups and fruit fillings for desserts. At this stage it is
also ideal to candy and nibble on through the coming winter. Trust me and candy
some; chopped candied ginger will be handy in a myriad ways through the
Christmas baking month!
As it matures, ginger gets harder, more fibrous and spicier.
At this stage it might be too stringy to candy, and too spicy to eat raw but is
ideal for long cooking. Chop, crush, grate or puree and add to marinades, long
cooking soups, stews, curries and roasts, giving its flavours a chance to truly
open up into the dishes. It is also ideal to make a spicy ginger cordial to
refresh you in the summer and spike cocktails and monsoon/winter warmers with
as required.
Ginger is also available dried, either as whole roots or
powdered. The roots retain flavours longer so buy those and powder as required.
In its powdered form, dried ginger is at its spiciest best and a little goes a
long way. Intrinsic to the saunth chutney of the North and the chai masala that
spices the famed Gujarati masala chai, powdered ginger is ideal for adding
warming spicy notes to meat rubs, chutneys, baked treats, and slow cooked
dishes. Ginger can also be infused into milk and cream to make moreish
custards, crème brulee or ice creams.
PINEAPPLE GINGER CHICKEN
Serves: 4-6
Time: 45
minutes
Ingredients
1 Chicken breast,
pounded thin, cut into bite size pieces
1/4 cup Cornstarch
1tsp Garlic
powder
½ tsp Red
chili powder
1tsp Ginger
powder
½ tsp White
pepper powder
½tsp Salt
2tbsp Oil
Pineapple Ginger Sauce
¼ cup Pineapple
juice
3tbsp White
wine vinegar
1tsp Brown
sugar
3 Garlic
cloves, minced
½ cup Ginger juice (grate 1 cup ginger, squeeze
for juice. Gratings can be used later.)
1tsp Red chili
powder
½ tsp Salt
2tsp Cornstarch
3tbsp Sesame
seeds, toasted
2tbsp Spring
onion greens, chopped
Method
Combine
cornstarch, garlic powder, red chili powder, ginger powder, pepper and salt in a large zip lock bag and mix well
to combine.
Add the chicken
pieces and toss until evenly coated.
Heat the oil
over medium heat in a large nonstick pan.
Add the
coated chicken and cook for 2 minutes undisturbed then continue to stir fry
until cooked through, about 5-7 minutes.
For the
Sauce
Heat the oil
in a small pan over medium heat.
Add the garlic
and ginger and sauté for 30 seconds.
Add the
remaining ingredients and whisk to combine.
Bring sauce
to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until sauce thickens (approximately 3
minutes).
In a large bowl, toss the cooked chicken with the sauce
using a spatula until evenly coated.
Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and chopped spring onion.
Serve immediately over rice.
Gyaan and Legends
#SeedTheRise is a crowd-funding campaign set up by Mahindra
to help improve the lives of our country’s farmers. Working with 5 NGO-led
projects across India, that strategically aim at bettering the farmers' lives
in varied ways including setting up drip irrigation, sustainable farming units
and educating the girl child. The campaign is looking to raise Rs. 2 crores in
public donations, an amount that will be matched by Mahindra to double the
benefit for the farmers.
For more info watch this video: http://bit.ly/1Nu87KX and to contribute towards the
cause, donate here: http://bit.ly/1ROiYCC.
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