Pickled Ginger

Ginger is a herbaceous perennial rhizome originating from Southern Asia. It’s from the same family as turmeric. Plant it in late winter or early spring and harvest it at the end of summer when the leaves start to look shabby.

Find this recipe in Eat Local: Food, Farming and Conversation in the Scenic Rim. Here, I’ve adjusted it slightly and added some beetroot juice from my freshly pressed morning juice to give it the traditional pink colour.

Pickled ginger

Makes about 500 g

500 g fresh young ginger
2 teaspoons sea salt
80 g golden caster sugar
200 ml rice vinegar, boiled
1 teaspoon beetroot juice

Scrape the skin from the ginger using a paring knife or teaspoon. Finely shave the ginger using a vegetable peeler or mandolin. Place the ginger in a mixing bowl, sprinkle with salt, mix thoroughly and set aside to sweat for 30 minutes. Pour the vinegar into a small saucepan and add the sugar, gently heat to boiling point. Firmly squeeze the excess juice from the ginger, fill a sterilised jar with the slices. Pour the sweetened vinegar and beetroot juice over the ginger slices. Seal, cool and then refrigerate. Once opened, the ginger will keep refrigerated for two weeks.