| How to Store Cut Ginger Posted: 04 Aug 2020 01:00 AM PDT Ginger is an essential ingredient in many different Asian and Thai recipes, including soups, curries, and marinades; it's also often used to make delicious baked goods, like ginger cake! If you buy it fresh but don't cook with it frequently, you might find that it shrivels and goes bad before you've had a chance to use it all. Thankfully, there are several different ways you can store cut ginger so that you can always have it on hand to add to your favorite dishes. [Edit]Keeping Ginger in the Fridge - Blot the cut ends of the ginger to remove extra moisture. If you have a knob of ginger that you plan to use within the next few weeks, you can absolutely keep it in the fridge. Just use a paper towel to blot any cut, open ends so that there is less chance of mold developing.[1]
- Excess moisture can start to seep into the skin of the ginger, causing it to age faster than it should. It can also create a somewhat slimy layer, so you want to avoid this if at all possible.
- Place the ginger into a resealable plastic bag. As you seal the plastic bag, push the excess air out so that the bag is as tight against the ginger as possible. Label the plastic bag with the "date purchased" so that you can easily remember how long it'll be good for.[2]
- Tuck the sealed bag into the crisper drawer in your fridge. Put the bag into the crisper drawer and take it out when you need it. Because ginger tends to be a bit smaller than other veggies you might have in the crisper, try to set it on top of anything else in there. That way, it won't fall to the side and be forgotten.[3]
- Use fresh ginger within 4-6 weeks for the freshest taste. Always visually check your ginger before using it to make sure it's still in good condition. If you're nearing the end of the 4-6 weeks or have noticed that the ginger is starting to wrinkle or age, you can transfer it to the freezer.[4]
- If the ginger looks discolored, becomes soft to the touch, or emits a weird smell, it has probably gone bad and shouldn't be consumed.
[Edit]Grating and Freezing Fresh Ginger - Peel and then grate or finely mince the ginger. Use a vegetable peeler to remove as much of the skin from the ginger as possible, and then scrape away any remaining bits with a spoon. Use a grater or slice and chop the ginger into tiny bits with a knife.[5]
- To mince the ginger, cut off a slice and cut that into long sticks. Then, cut across the sticks to break the ginger down into even smaller pieces.
- Drop small spoonfuls of the grated ginger onto a lined baking sheet. Get a baking sheet and line it with parchment paper. Place small, rounded mounds of ginger on the sheet, leaving about of space between each one.[6]
- If you'd prefer, you could also puree the ginger with a little bit of water and freeze it flat in a resealable plastic bag. When you need some for a recipe, simply break off a small piece from the bag and it'll melt right into the dish.[7]
- Freeze the ginger for 3-4 hours on the baking sheet. Lay the baking sheet flat in the freezer so that the ginger doesn't slide and freeze into one big chunk. It should only take a few hours until ginger is completely frozen through.[8]
- Freezing the ginger in small, individual portions makes it much easier to take out a piece to use whenever you need.
- Transfer the ginger from the baking sheet to an airtight container. Using either your hands or a spatula, gently remove the ginger from the baking sheet and place it into a resealable plastic bag or a lidded freezer-safe container. Once everything has been moved, place the container back into the freezer for long-term storage.[9]
- The parchment paper should make it really easy to remove the ginger from the baking sheet.
- Mark the container and use frozen ginger within 6 months for the best flavor. Use a piece of masking tape and a marker to record the "frozen on" date. After 6 months, the ginger should still be good, but it may not be as aromatic and flavorful.[10]
- If your freezer loses power and the ginger thaws, it's safest to throw it out. Otherwise, you risk it growing bacteria and becoming unsafe to consume.
- Take out a portion of frozen ginger whenever you need it for a recipe. Whether you're making soup or stir-fry or a ginger cake, all you have to do is take out as many frozen pieces of ginger as you need. For dishes cooked on the stovetop, you can add it straight to the pan—the heat will thaw the ginger quickly. For baked goods, place the ginger in a small bowl on the counter and let it come to room temperature before using it.[11]
- Since fresh ginger can quickly go bad and shrivel, preparing and storing it this way ensures you'll always have some available when you need it.
[Edit]Pickling Sliced Ginger - Peel the ginger and cut it into thin slices. Use a vegetable peeler to remove as much of the skin as possible, then use a small spoon to gently scrape away any skin remaining in the crevices and grooves. Use a knife or mandoline to slice the ginger into thin discs.[12]
- You could pickle larger chunks of ginger and then cut them to the right size when you want to use them.
- Sprinkle salt over the ginger and let it sit for about 30 minutes. Use about 1 teaspoon (6 grams) of salt for an entire piece of ginger root. The salt kickstarts the pickling process and will soak into the ginger while it's resting.[13]
- White table salt works just fine for this. You could also use sea salt, pink Himalayan salt, or another variety.
- You can leave the ginger on the cutting board or place it in a bowl.
- Boil of rice vinegar and 5 tbsp (62 grams) of sugar. Measure the rice vinegar and sugar into a small saucepan and set it over medium-high heat. Let it come to a boil so that all the sugar dissolves, and then remove it from the heat.[14]
- If you prefer a slightly sweeter pickled ginger, add another 1-2 tbsp (12-25 grams) of sugar to the rice vinegar.
- Put the ginger into a glass jar and pour the rice vinegar on top. If the ginger isn't completely covered by the liquid, boil another cup of rice vinegar and sugar. Be careful when pouring in the rice vinegar as it'll still be really hot. Avoid touching the glass jar with your bare hands.[15]
- If you want to give pickled ginger as gifts, divide the ginger and pickling liquid between several small glass jars.
- Let the liquid cool to room temperature, then screw the jar's lid on tightly. Once the liquid has cooled down and the jar is no longer hot to the touch, put the lid tightly onto the jar. Label the jar with the "date made."[16]
- Don't put the lid onto the container until it has cooled to room temp; otherwise, it could build up too much pressure and burst.
- Put the jar in the fridge and let it ferment for at least 1 week. After about a week, the ginger should turn pink; once it's pink, it's pickled and ready to use! Fish out a few slices to add to meals or to enjoy as a quick treat.[17]
- Pickled ginger is often served with sushi, but you can use it with other dishes. Try using it as a salad topping or chopping it up and using it in a marinade.
- Keep the pickled ginger in the fridge and enjoy it within 4-6 weeks. Remember to keep the lid tightly secured on the container for maximum freshness. The ginger will probably still be safe to consume after the 4-6 weeks have passed, but the texture and taste might not be as good.[18]
- If you notice any discoloration, strange smells, or mold, discard the ginger right away.
[Edit]Drying and Grinding Ginger - Preheat your oven to the lowest heat setting possible. Ideally, the temperature will be at or lower than . If your oven doesn't go that low, just plan on leaving the door cracked during the drying process.[19]
- You could also use a food dehydrator—just follow the instructions to properly dry the ginger.
- As an alternative, you could also simply leave sliced ginger in the sun for a few days. Drying it in the oven will get the job done faster, though.
- Arrange peeled, sliced ginger evenly on a baking sheet. For the best results use pieces of ginger that are no thicker than . The thinner the slices, the quicker they will dry! Arrange the pieces so they're in a single layer with a little bit of space between each one. This will allow the air to move more evenly around each piece.[20]
- You can use a knife to slice the ginger, or, for super thin pieces, try a mandoline.
- Bake the ginger for 1 hour at a time, flipping the slices every hour. How long it takes to dry the ginger depends on several factors, like how thick the slices are and the temperature of the oven. In general, it shouldn't take more than 3-4 hours for them to dry. Checking them frequently and flipping them regularly ensures that they won't burn.[21]
- If you have a lot of ginger, you could always bake 2 sheets at the same time.
- Remove the sheet from the oven once the ginger easily breaks apart. Test the ginger to see if it has fully dried by carefully picking it up and snapping it in half. It if bends but doesn't break, it needs to bake for longer. If it snaps in half, it should be good![22]
- You could also try chewing a piece to test it. If it's still moist or chewy inside, it's probably not done. It should be brittle and dry.
- Be careful when picking up the ginger from the baking sheet. It'll be hot, so you may want to use a pair of tongs to remove it and set it to the side to let it cool down for a few seconds.
- Store the ginger in an airtight container in a cupboard or pantry. Transfer the ginger from the sheet to a clean glass or plastic container. Screw the lid on tightly, and then place the container in a cool, dark place.[23]
- Dried ginger can last for years. It may not taste as potent or release as much flavor after a year, but it should still be safe to use. If it ever becomes moldy, smelly, or damp, throw it out.
- You can use dried ginger to make tea, or you can grind it up to use in various recipes.
- Grind dried ginger in a coffee or spice grinder to make ground ginger. You can grind it all at once and store it in an airtight container, or just grind enough for the meal you're making. Make sure the coffee or spice grinder is clean and dry before you use it so the ginger doesn't get contaminated with other spices.[24]
- A 1/4 cup of dehydrated ginger will make about 1 tablespoon (5.4 grams) of ground ginger.
- Ground ginger will be most potent for about a month. After that, it may start to lose its aroma and flavor.
- When buying ginger, look for firm, plump pieces. Avoid buying ginger with wrinkled skin or lots of dark spots.[25]
- Try preserving cut and peeled ginger in vodka, sherry, or sake. Use the ginger however you'd like, and add some of the liquid to cocktails to make a fun, ginger-infused drink.[26]
[Edit]Warnings - Use caution when handling hot objects, like hot jars or baking sheets. Wear oven mitts to protect your hands.
- Don't eat ginger if it smells funny or is discolored.[27]
[Edit]Things You'll Need [Edit]Keeping Ginger in the Fridge - Paper towels
- Resealable plastic bag
[Edit]Grating and Freezing Fresh Ginger - Vegetable peeler
- Spoon
- Knife or grater
- Parchment paper
- Baking sheet
- Airtight container
[Edit]Pickling Sliced Ginger - Vegetable peeler
- Spoon
- Knife or mandoline
- Lidded glass jar
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Small saucepan
[Edit]Drying and Grinding Ginger - Knife or mandoline
- Baking sheet
- Oven mitt
- Tongs (optional)
- Airtight container
- Coffee or spice grinder
[Edit]References |
| How to Steam Broccoli Without a Steamer Posted: 03 Aug 2020 05:00 PM PDT Steaming broccoli instead of boiling it retains more of the vegetable's nutrients and natural flavors. Kids are also more likely to eat crisp-tender, bright green steamed broccoli instead of mushy, drab green boiled broccoli! If you don't have a steamer or steaming basket, you can still easily steam broccoli in the microwave or on the stovetop. Or, if you have a metal colander that nestles into a stock pot, you can make your own steaming basket! [Edit]Ingredients Makes 4 servings - of broccoli with stalks, rinsed and trimmed
- Pinch of salt (optional)
- 1-2 Tbsp (15-30 g) of unsalted butter (optional)
[Edit]Using the Microwave - Clean the broccoli and cut it into bite-size pieces. Rinse the broccoli under running water and check the crowns for any hidden insects. Dry the head of broccoli with paper towels, then use a sharp kitchen knife to cut the florets into bite size pieces. Trim the stalks into thick discs, then cut the discs in half if they're bigger than bite size.[1]
- Even if you don't plan to eat the stalks, cut them up so you can place them in the bottom of the bowl. This will keep the tender florets from boiling in the water in the bottom of the bowl.
- An average head of broccoli is roughly in weight.
- Put the broccoli in a microwave-safe bowl and add water. For instance, choose a large glass or ceramic bowl, or a smaller casserole dish. Add 2.5 Tbsp (37.5 ml) of water for of broccoli.[2]
- The broccoli does not need to be in a single layer, since the steam will rise through all the broccoli in the covered bowl.
- Cover the bowl tightly to trap in the steam. If your microwave-safe bowl has a lid, secure it on snugly so that most of the steam cannot escape.[3]
- If you do not have a lid for your dish, use microwave-safe plastic wrap instead. Alternatively, if you prefer not to use plastic wrap, place a microwave-safe plate over the top of the bowl. Make sure it makes a snug seal over the rim of the bowl.
- Microwave on high for 2.5 minutes, then check the broccoli every 30 seconds. After 2.5 minutes of cooking, carefully remove the hot bowl from the microwave and very carefully remove the lid or covering. If the broccoli is bright green in color and you can easily pierce it with a fork, it's done. Otherwise, re-cover it and cook it for another 30 seconds.[4]
- It may take up to 4 minutes in total to steam the broccoli to perfection.
- Keep checking every 30 seconds after the first 2.5 minutes, since broccoli can go from bright green and perfectly steamed to drab green and overcooked quickly!
- Always be cautious when uncovering a bowl of steaming veggies. The hot steam will escape quickly, and it could burn you if you are not careful. Open the bowl away from you to avoid exposing yourself to the steam.
- Season the broccoli as desired and serve it immediately. When the broccoli is steamed just right, add any desired seasonings—for instance, stir in 2 Tbsp (30 g) of butter and sprinkle on a pinch of salt. You can serve the broccoli directly from the microwave bowl, or transfer it to a serving dish.[5]
- Try stirring in a splash or two of soy sauce to give the finished broccoli an enhanced flavor profile.
[Edit]Steaming in a Skillet - Wash, dry, and chop up a head of broccoli. Rinse the broccoli head under the faucet and pat it dry with paper towels. Use a sharp kitchen knife to separate the florets from the stalks, cutting them into bite size pieces.[6]
- "Bite size" means the florets should be cut into about pieces.
- Cut the thicker stalks in half crosswise, and chop all the whole and halved stalks into slices that are roughly thick. Cut the stalks even if you don't intend to eat them—putting them in the bottom of the saucepan will elevate the delicate florets above the boiling water.
- Take a quick look through the head of broccoli after washing it to make sure there aren't any bugs hiding out!
- Add of water to a medium saucepan. The saucepan should be large enough to hold of liquid. Though you won't be adding nearly that amount of water, this size of saucepan will be plenty large enough for of chopped broccoli.[7]
- also equals 6 Tbsp.
- Adding more water than this small amount will only cause the broccoli to boil. You need just enough water to create steam.
- Choose a saucepan with a lid that fits snugly. If necessary, you can use a heat-resistant dinner plate as a lid.
- Add the broccoli to the saucepan once the water comes to a boil. Place the saucepan over high heat and wait for the water to come to a full boil. Since there's such a small amount of water in the saucepan, this won't be a long wait![8]
- Place the thicker, tougher stalk pieces in the saucepan first, then pile the tender florets on top. Be careful not to splash any of the boiling water onto your skin.
- Cover the saucepan and keep it over high heat for 3 minutes. Don't lift the lid, shake the pan, or anything else. Just wait 3 minutes!
- It is crucial that you cover the saucepan securely in order to trap the steam inside. A snug-fitting lid that matches the saucepan is your best option.
- Reduce the heat to low and steam the broccoli for 3 more minutes. Do not remove the lid to check the broccoli—you need to keep the steam trapped inside. This trapped steam will continue to cook the broccoli without overcooking it.[9]
- Add butter or seasonings, if desired, and serve the broccoli immediately. After 6 minutes total steaming time, carefully lift off the lid. Stir the broccoli, and stir in 2 Tbsp (30 g) of butter if you wish. Consider sprinkling on a pinch or two of salt as well.[10]
- Remove the lid so that it acts as a shield to deflect the steam away from your face. Otherwise, you may get burned.
- Once finished, the broccoli should be bright green and tender-crisp. Mushy, drab green broccoli has been cooked too long.
- You can serve the broccoli from the saucepan, or transfer it to a serving dish.
[Edit]Using a Colander as a Steaming Basket - Rinse and cut up a head of broccoli. Run the head of broccoli under clean water, check for any insects hiding in the florets, and dry it with paper towels. Use a sharp kitchen knife to cut the florets into bite size pieces, and slice the stalks into discs. If the stalks are especially thick, cut the discs in half.[11]
- Aim to make the florets roughly similar in size—about —so that they cook evenly. The stalk pieces take longer to cook and should be cut smaller than this.
- Use an average size head of broccoli, which should weigh about .
- You can discard the stalks if you like, but they're quite tasty and tender when steamed properly!
- Pick out a stock pot, lid, and metal colander that suit your needs. You'll need a metal colander that's large enough to hold all the chopped broccoli. At the same time, it needs to be the right size to nestle into the stock pot and rest on its rim so it doesn't touch the bottom of the pot. The lid should fit over the colander and create a fairly tight seal to keep the steam in.
- If the colander doesn't nestle in just right, it will either touch the bottom of the pot (which will result in some of the broccoli boiling instead of steaming) or will stick up too far above the rim of the pot (which will let the steam escape).
- If you don't have the right combination of stock pot, lid, and metal colander, you're better off either using an alternate steaming method or buying a steamer basket that fits your stock pot.
- Add of water to the stock pot. is preferable, but don't add that much if it causes the bottom of the colander to be submerged when you nestle it in the stock pot. Make sure you have at least of water in the pot, however.[12]
- You need at least of water to build up enough steam to cook the broccoli.
- Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Since there's a small amount of water in the stock pot, it won't take more than a few minutes to come to a boil. Place the cut broccoli in the colander while you wait, if you haven't done so already.[13]
- Put the colander of broccoli in the stock pot and add the lid. Wait until the water is at a full boil before doing this. Move on to the next step—reducing the heat—as soon as you put the lid on.[14]
- Make sure the lid is on snugly so the steam can't escape.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and check the broccoli after 5 minutes. Tender florets may be done after 5 minutes, but plan for 6-7 minutes in most cases. Put the lid back on if the broccoli isn't bright green and easy to pierce with a fork after 5 minutes, then check again 1 minute later. Repeat once more if necessary.[15]
- Steamed broccoli can turn drab green, mushy, and unappetizing quickly, so check every minute after the first 5 minutes of steaming.
- Season your broccoli to taste and serve it right away. Remove the colander from the stock pot and pour the broccoli into a serving dish. If desired, stir in 2 Tbsp (30 g) of butter and a pinch or two of salt.[16]
- Try adding lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, or toasted almond slivers to your steamed broccoli. Some people even like their steamed broccoli with mayonnaise on the side!
[Edit]Things You'll Need [Edit]Microwave Method - Microwave-safe dish
- Lid, plastic wrap, or heavy plate
[Edit]Skillet Method [Edit]Metal Colander Method - Stock pot with lid
- Metal colander
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Make an Orbeez Stress Ball Posted: 03 Aug 2020 09:00 AM PDT Orbeez are squishy beads that expand in water, and they make a great filling for a DIY stress ball. All you need are some dehydrated Orbeez, a balloon, and a water bottle. Keep in mind that Orbeez expand up to 150 times their size when they're soaked in water, so don't overdo it when you're measuring out your Orbeez and soaking them in water! [Edit]Hydrating Your Orbeez - Get a package of dehydrated Orbeez. Purchase your Orbeez online or at your local toy store. You can buy them already hydrated, but it's more fun and less expensive if you get dehydrated Orbeez and soak them yourself. You don't need more than 50 Orbeez to make a stress ball, but they're usually sold in packets of several thousand, so expect to have some left over![1]
- It only costs $5-10 to buy 50,000 Orbeez.
- You can make multiple stress balls, or just hydrate the rest of your Orbeez and play with them.
- Orbeez are nontoxic and biodegradable. This is a great afternoon project to complete with your child. This is also a fun way to teach students about polymers and moisture retention if you teach a science class.
- Place 1 teaspoon of dehydrated Orbeez in a bowl. The beads are pretty small so it's not worth counting, but you don't need more than a small scoop to make a standard stress ball.[2]
- The beads inflate up to 150 times their size when they're exposed to water, so don't overdo it here! It's fine if you have some extra Orbeez left over if you just want to play around with them.
- Pour of warm water over the Orbeez. Fill up a measuring cup with of warm water. Pour the water over the Orbeez and let them soak.[3]
- If you want to make more Orbeez in the future, always use roughly of warm water for every 1 teaspoon of Orbeez.
- There's no need to cover the bowl. Just leave it out at room temperature.
- Wait 12 hours for the Orbeez to absorb the water and expand. Set the bowl aside and wait for the Orbeez to start soaking the water up. They will eventually look like puffy, translucent marbles that feel kind of like gelatin. Give the Orbeez 12 hours to finish expanding.[4]
- The water should almost be entirely gone when the Orbeez are finished. The Orbeez will be dramatically larger and they should feel squishy and soft in your hands.
- You can let the Orbeez soak overnight.
[Edit]Filling Your Stress Ball - Fill an empty water bottle with your Orbeez. Any empty bottle will work for this, but it's best to do this with one of those clear disposable bottles with a small mouth. Either drop the Orbeez into the mouth of the empty bottle by hand, or slide a funnel into the opening and pour the Orbeez in all at once.[5]
- Once they're hydrated, the Orbeez are colorful and translucent. They look really interesting when they're sitting in a clear container.
- Blow up a balloon halfway and twist the neck 2-3 times to keep the air in. Stretch the neck of your balloon out a bit to soften the latex and blow it up halfway. Pinch the neck of the balloon to keep air from escaping. Then, twist the neck of the balloon a few times to keep the air from slowly leaking out.[6]
- You can use any color balloon that you'd like, but a clear balloon is best if you want to admire the Orbeez inside the stress ball.
- Stretch the mouth of the balloon over the opening of the water bottle. Pinch the twisted neck of the balloon with your nondominant hand. Then, carefully stretch the opening of the balloon over the opening of the bottle. Release the neck of the balloon and let it untwist on its own.[7]
- Flip the bottle over to fill the balloon with the Orbeez. Hold the mouth of the water bottle and the balloon together. Turn the bottle over and let the Orbeez pour into the balloon. If any Orbeez get stuck in the mouth of the bottle, shake the balloon and bottle 1-2 times to knock them free. Continue pouring the Orbeez into the balloon until the balloon is mostly full.[8]
- The amount of Orbeez you pour into the balloon determines the size of the stress ball. You can use any amount that you'd like. You don't have to use all of the Orbeez if you don't want to.
- Slide the mouth of the water bottle out of the balloon. Once the balloon is full, turn the water bottle back down and pinch the neck of the balloon. Twist the balloon off of the mouth of the water bottle and discard it.[9]
- Squeeze the excess air out if you'd like and tie the balloon. If you want a really compact stress ball, release the neck of the balloon and let the air escape. Squeeze the balloon together to force the excess air out and tie the neck of the balloon in a knot. For a fluffier stress ball, pinch the neck of the balloon to keep the air from escaping and tie your knot with the air trapped inside.[10]
- Your stress ball should last at least 6 months. The Orbeez will break down eventually and your balloon will fill with liquid, but this takes some time.
- You can prolong the life of your stress ball by keeping it out of direct sunlight when you aren't using it.
- If the Orbeez ever break down, you can soak them in water again to reuse them.
[Edit]Things You'll Need - Orbeez
- Water
- Bowl
- Funnel (optional)
- Plastic bottle
- Balloon
[Edit]References |
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