Ginger

Ginger is used extensively as a spice in cuisines throughout the world. Originating in southern China, cultivation of ginger spread to India, Southeast Asia, West Africa, and the Caribbean.

Ginger contains up to 3% of an essential oil that causes the fragrance of the spice.

Young ginger are often pickled in vinegar or sherry as a snack or just cooked as an ingredient in many dishes. They are also stewed in boiling water to make ginger tea. Mature old ginger root is used as a spice in Chinese cuisine to flavor dishes such as in seafood and mutton.

Ginger is also candied, is used as a flavoring for candy, cookies, crackers and cake. It is the main flavor in ginger ale, a sweet carbonated non-alcoholic beverage, as well as the similar but somewhat spicier beverage, ginger beer. Green ginger wine is a ginger flavoured wine, produced in the United Kingdom and traditionally sold in a green glass bottle. Ginger is also used as a spice added to hot coffee and tea. In Japan, ginger is pickled to make BENI SHOGA and GARI or grated and used raw on tofu or noodles. In traditional Korean KIMCHI, ginger is minced finely and added into the ingredients of the spicy paste just before the fermenting process. In India, ginger is used in all sub-varieties of the Indian cuisines.

Medical research has shown that ginger root is an effective treatment for nausea caused by motion sickness or other illness and also contains many antioxidants. Powdered dried ginger root is made into capsules for medicinal use. Ginger ale and ginger beer have been recommended as "stomach settlers" for generations in countries where the beverages are made. It is used on minimizing joint pain from arthritis and other inflammatory disorders. It is believed to have blood thinning and cholesterol lowering properties, making it effective in treating heart disease

India is one of the prime producers of ginger. In 2003, India grew over a quarter of a million tones, almost three quarters more than thirty years ago. It is grown on a smaller extent in Bangladesh and Pakistan. In India there are at least 400 different cultivars, each with varying properties such as the level of potent ginger oil. India is one of the top producers of ginger oil, and exports mainly to America and Europe.

The most familiar form in Europe is dried ginger. Its preparation involves boiling ginger in water, or peeling it, scraping or slicing it, and drying. Peeled version is known as 'uncoated' or 'white' ginger. Those with the peel still on are known as or 'black' or 'coated' ginger. Both are usually sun dried for several days.

Pargan supplies sizeable quantity of Dry Ginger from Nigeria and Ethiopia to India, South Africa, Morocco and European Destinations. The following varieties of Dry Ginger is supplied by Pargan:

• Dry Whole Ginger (Ethiopian Origin)
• Addis Ababa (Ethiopia)
• Dry Sliced Ginger (Nigerian Origin)

Pargan supplies the regular and ASTA grade Ginger from the African region. Before bagging and shipping the cargo, ginger is usually cleaned and dried in the source country.

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