Ginger – an ingredient I fall in love with more, with each passing day. As a kid, I ran quickly and far – associating it with a gross concoction forced down my throat. But now I look for ginger almost everywhere. Apart from the superb antioxidant and healing properties that my body very much requires – I find it a versatile ingredient to play with – a simple stir fry with more aromatics, or playing the main role to flavour fresh tomatoes on a toast. It complements a citrus dessert, just as well as dark chocolate and cream. There is something so darn attractive about this malleable feature.
So, here I go overboard – add a nice chunk into the pot of wild rice while it cooks. A trick to enhance the flavour – cut lengthwise into medium strips, place into a mortar and pestle and give a few hits to juice up and then throw into the boiling rice water. I then, add more fresh ginger into roasting pumpkin and pomegranates. You end up with this lovely baked and thickened and juicened up melange of flavours that is tossed with wild black rice and fresh bursts of green parsley leaves! This makes for a meal in itself, or a side salad or a great tiffin – that I hide and bring to my workplace!
