Chef Jeon Ho-je writes about ginger’s practical and cultural roles in Korean and Asian cooking. Though many households buy ginger infrequently and it can dry out unused, its sharp aroma is essential to tame gamy or fishy flavors—such as when boiling pork backbone for gamjatang (감자탕). Japan uses pickled ginger with sushi and rice bowls; Vietnamese pho gains depth and a cool, rounded aroma from dried ginger, which also strengthens antioxidant and anti-inflammatory qualities during drying. Ginger makes comforting winter drinks—sliced and candied with sugar or honey or boiled with citrus—and was once simmered on old coal stoves for scent and humidity. There are traditional Korean ginger sweets (생강과자) sold in markets, and unlike garlic, ginger is permitted in temple cuisine because it doesn’t disturb meditation. Many ginger products and preparations—ginger mirin, frozen purees mixed with garlic—extend shelf life and make it easy to add ginger’s warming flavor to dishes. The chef encourages using ginger to keep body and mind healthy through the cold season.
