Perfect with sushi, how to make marinated ginger (or gari) at home?

With a fresh and heady taste, marinated ginger is one of the most common accompaniments to sushi together with wasabi. Let's find out what it is and how to do it!

Pickled ginger is a typical preparation of Southeast Asia and Japan . To prepare it, you need to marinate the root in a solution of vinegar, water and sugar. Also known as "gari" (the Japanese name) it is commonly served together with sushi and this is why its notoriety has reached its highest levels in recent years following the rapid diffusion of Japanese cuisine in the West.

We're used to seeing it pink , but it's the result of an additive dye. The recipe for marinated ginger or gari is not difficult to make, however we must pay attention to some very important steps . Furthermore, the rest times are very long (8/12 hours).

How to make marinated ginger

1. Start by peeling the ginger and cutting it into thin slices. Salt it, immerse it in a container full of water and leave it to soak for at least 8 hours of rest (if you can, wait up to 12 hours).
2. After waiting the necessary time, take a saucepan, heat it and blanch the ginger for 1 minute . After that, you will have to rinse it under running water.
3. At this point, sear it again for another minute and leave it to rest in a colander.
4. Meanwhile, take a saucepan and pour water, vinegar, sugar and salt into it. Turn on the stove and when the sugar is completely dissolved you can turn off the heat.
5. After having disinfected a jar with an airtight seal (do it according to the indications of the Ministry of Health ), put the ginger inside it and pour the hot liquid over it. Pour so that all the pieces of ginger are immersed in this kind of syrup.
6. At this point, close the jar, turn it upside down and leave it upside down until it has completely cooled down. Here is the marinated ginger ready!

storage

We recommend keeping the marinated ginger in the fridge, covered with the preparation liquid, for a maximum of 2-3 weeks .

The properties and benefits of marinated ginger

Especially used in Asian cuisine , ginger is now also much loved in the West and can easily be found not only in large supermarkets but also in fruit and vegetable markets. The uses of ginger are truly endless: from first courses to second courses, up to desserts.

This plant originally from Asia is grown mostly in tropical countries; the edible part is that of the root which is dried (to be grated or added to thin slices in heady herbal teas) or already grated. Furthermore, in the Asian tradition ginger powder is the basis of curry .

Ginger stimulates the metabolism and regulates digestive functions , contrasts aerophagia and the sense of nausea ; it helps to strengthen the immune system and is beneficial in the first flu states. In ancient times it was eaten with sushi because it was believed that its antibiotic properties were able to fight possible infections from contaminated fish : a theory that today has been widely discredited.