GINGER
Zingiber officinale
One of the oldest known and most widely consumed spices as well as the best home remedy for flatulence, nausea nervous diarrhea, indigestion and dysentery.
Ginger is one of those ingredients that can be many things to many people. Not only is it used in cuisines around the world, but it also comes in a variety of forms-fresh, pickled, dried, and crystallized among them.
The taste of the fresh ginger is distinctly different from the dried spice; it has a fresh, cool ginger taste as opposed to the hot, pungent taste of the dried powder. Fresh ginger adds a very special flavor to stir-fried dishes, soups and curries.
Ginger is important for its medicinal qualities as well as its culinary uses. It is one of the best kitchen shelf medicines. It is a stimulant and very helpful to the digestive tract and to circulation. Both powdered and fresh ginger root can be made into a tea, which is good for indigestion and also a good treatment for colds and flu. Ginger also relieves sea sickness or travel sickness.
Ginger needs rich, well-drained, moist soil and plenty of indirect sunlight and water. It is frost-sensitive, and mostly grown in the subtropics and tropics. Place it in a location that gets sunlight and give it water regularly. Given proper growing conditions, the stems will reach two to four feet tall with narrow, glossy green leaves that can get up to a foot long. Bring the plant indoors before winter and store in a cool, dark place and ignore until spring. The foliage will die back and soil will dry out but should bounce back when returned to the outside the following spring..
