Fresh ginger, one of the commonly used ingredients of all time is actually part of the ingredients that most people run out of unexpectedly. It is commonly used to add flavour and a beautiful aroma to food and also it has a number of medicinal benefits. If you are one of those people that tend to run out of fresh ginger in your kitchen then you can use some of the fresh ginger substitutes that are recommended in this article. It is worth noting that some of the substitutes that will be highlighted can slightly change the flavours of your dish, but in most scenarios it will be in a positive way.
Contents
Ground ginger
If you are out of fresh ginger then ground ginger acts as the perfect substitute. Ground ginger is actually more concentrated that fresh ginger so when using it you have to reduce the quantities. For example for a recipe that requires you to add 1 teaspoon of fresh ginger then you can add ¼ teaspoon of ground ginger. Ground ginger acts as good fresh ginger substitute when making curry, baked goods or even a sauce.
Ginger paste
Ginger paste can also be used as substitute for fresh ginger. It is commonly used when the recipe requires ginger to be sautéed. Ground ginger doesn’t work well in recipes that require ginger to be sautéed thus resorting to ginger paste will be the best option. Ginger paste is a fresh ginger substitute especially when making sauces or stir fry’s.
Minced ginger
Fresh ginger can also be substituted using minced ginger. It is great for making marinades as well as stir fry’s. Minced ginger can be used the same way that ginger paste is used but the texture as well as flavour is different. Ginger paste is more concentrated as compared to minced ginger.
Grated ginger
If a recipe calls for fresh ginger you can substitute it with grated ginger. It is similar to minced ginger but the texture and shape are very different. Grated ginger has got vinegar and sugar added to it and these act as preservatives so that it can last for a longer period of time. When you open the jar of grated ginger the aroma of the ginger may not be that strong since it would have been mixed with vinegar and sugar.
Pickled ginger
You can substitute fresh ginger with pickled ginger. It is commonly used for cooking sushi.
Crystallised ginger
You can substitute fresh ginger with crystallised ginger. It is also known as candied ginger or glace ginger. Crystallised ginger is fresh ginger that has been cooked using sugar water and then coated using sugar. It is sweeter than fresh ginger but you can use it as a substitute when baking. Furthermore, if you like eating raw ginger then this is the best type to try since it has a sweet flavour to it.
Allspice
You can substitute fresh ginger using allspice although it is commonly used as a substitute for ground ginger. Allspice is also referred to as Jamaican pepper and it is a dry spice that has a mild, sweet and spicy flavour. Allspice is usually used as a fresh ginger substitute especially when making things like stews and vegetables
Cinnamon
Cinnamon is also a fresh ginger substitute especially when baking. Cinnamon has a warm sweet flavour as compared to fresh ginger but it can still be used. It is derived from the bark of the cinnamon tree and although it is mainly used as a substitute of fresh ginger when baking it can also be used to make stews.
Nutmeg
When there is no fresh ginger that is available in your house you substitute it with nutmeg. It comes from the nutmeg tree and nutmeg has a spicy sweet flavour that is almost similar to ginger that is why it is an acceptable fresh ginger substitute. Nutmeg can be used as a substitute for fresh ginger in both sweet and savoury dishes.
Mace
It can be used as a fresh ginger substitute when baking. Mace has a warm, sweet spicy and peppery flavour that is why it is commonly used as substitute for ginger when making desserts. When using mace, for every tablespoon of fresh ginger you need to put ¼ teaspoon of mace. This is because it is very concentrated as compared to fresh ginger.
Turmeric
Turmeric and ginger belong to the same family thus, you can use it as a substitute. However, turmeric has a vibrant yellow colour that might over power the look of the dish so be careful when using turmeric as a substitute especially if you don’t want your food to have a yellow like colour. Furthermore, turmeric has an earthy and bitter taste as compared to ginger which has a sharp and spicy taste but it works as a decent substitute
Galangal
Galangal can be used as a fresh ginger substitute and it is found in Asian stores. Galangal is a root that is found in Southeast Asia and it tastes like ginger and turmeric that have been mixed together. It is very hard to find galangal but if you happen to come across it you can buy it and use it as a substitute for fresh ginger.
Conclusion
Many dishes are prepared using fresh ginger but sometimes you might not have it your kitchen however, this should not diminish your capacity to cook your favourite dishes that require fresh ginger as a key ingredient. It is an important thing to always have substitutes of fresh ginger in your pantry since you do not know when the might come in handy. The above article has noted a number of fresh ginger substitutes that you can use or even stock up in your pantry just in case you run out of fresh ginger. The first options you can use are ground ginger, ginger paste, minced ginger, grated ginger pickled ginger and also crystallised ginger. Spices can also be used to substitute fresh ginger and some of them include allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, turmeric and galangal.