Indian Spice - Dried Ginger/Sukku/Sounth - what is Dried Ginger?, Culinary uses of Dried Ginger in Indian Cooking, How to Purchase and Store Dried Ginger/Sukku?
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Inside The Post -
What is Ginger?/What is Dry ginger?/Sukku Uses/Sounth Uses/Dry ginger Uses/Dry Ginger Powder Uses/Sukku Powder Uses
In the picture -
Left Side - Fresh Ginger
Right Side - Dry Ginger
TABLE OF CONTENTS
For a long time, Food is taken depending upon the season by our ancestors. Dried Ginger is one such ingredient consumed mainly during monsoons and the winter season. Dried Ginger helps the body to keep warm.
There are lots of Tamil Proverbs and Poems about Dried Ginger.
For Example
“Sukkuku Minjiya Vaithiyamum Illai”.
“Kalai Inji, Kadum Pagal Sukku, Malai Kadukkai”.
The above proverb and poem state the importance of consuming sukku/dried ginger.
To know more about "Kadukkai". kindly, click the below link -
🔗Kadukkai
ABOUT - "GINGER"
Ginger is a knobby rhizome – the underground stem (not the root) of a plant. A ginger rhizome is called a hand.
Ginger is a staple spice in the cuisines of India. It is used by both vegetarians and non-vegetarians in their savoury foods than in desserts. Whereas, dried ginger is almost always called for in sweet dishes.
ABOUT - "DRIED GINGER/SUKKU"
As the name suggests, Dry Ginger is the dried form of fresh ginger. It is obtained by drying fully matured ginger rhizomes, harvested at an age of 8 to 9 months. At this age, the rhizomes have fully developed flavour, aroma and pungency. By converting it into a dried form, ginger can be preserved for a longer time.
FEW INDIAN REGIONAL OR VERNACULAR NAMES OF SUKKU/DRIED GINGER
Hindi name – Sounth.
Kannada name – Shunti.
Malayalam name – Chukku.
Marathi name – Sunth.
Tamil name – Sukku.
Telugu name – Sonthi.
HOW TO USE DRIED GINGER/SUKKU?
Dried Ginger is mostly used in its powdered form which is easy to store having a long shelf life of about one year.
In the picture - Dry Ginger Powder/Sukku Podi
How to make dry ginger powder/sukku podi at home?
Method to prepare Dried Ginger Powder/Sukku Podi
You cannot easily grind the Whole Dried Ginger because it is quite hard in texture. To make it easy to grind the below steps help you to grind easily at home -
1. To make sukku powder - Firstly, crush the dried ginger using a mortar and pestle.
2. Once it is crushed into small pieces.
3. Now transfer to a mixer grinder and grind it to a fine powder.
4. You get off-whitish or slightly brownish colour ginger powder.
5. Store it in an airtight container in a cool and dry place.
FLAVOUR OF SUKKU/DRIED GINGER
Dried Ginger powder has a strong aroma and slightly pungent flavour. It also has a mild sweet flavour.
INDIAN CULINARY USES OF DRIED GINGER/SUKKU
Dried Ginger/Sukku is a commonly used spice throughout India, particularly in Kashmiri Cuisine. Generally, it is used in making dry spice blends or masalas, which are used in gravies, curries marinades and kashayam (herbal drinks).
SOUTH INDIAN CUISINES
Dried Ginger/Sukku is mainly taken in the form of kashayam (herbal drinks) in the southern parts of India. It is also used to flavour sweet dishes like Payasam, Adhirasam, Sukku Mittai, Upperi, and Shunti Ladoo.
In the picture - Tamilnadu special "Adhirasam Recipe"
SPECIAL RECIPES WITH DRIED GINGER FLAVOURKanchipuram Idly is one of the unique idly recipes from Tamilnadu. It uses dried ginger powder/sukku podi to flavour idly.
Sillu Karupatti/Palm Jaggery is a sweetener. It is mainly flavoured with Dried Ginger. Sillu karupatti is the best alternative for refined sugar.
Sukku Malli Coffee is a special drink prepared particularly during the monsoons/rainy season.
Lactating foods also use a small amount of dried ginger.
For example
Angaya podi.
In the picture - Nurukku Gothambu Payasam/Gothambu Pradhaman/Broken Wheat Payasam
For the detailed Nurukku Gothambu Payasam recipe. Kindly, click the below link to check out -
🔗Nurukku Gothambu Payasam/Gothambu Pradhaman/Broken Wheat Payasam
NORTH INDIAN CUISINES
Dried Ginger is a staple spice used almost by all the cuisines in northern parts of India. It is used to prepare Garam Masala, Chai ka Masala, Tandoori Masala, and Chole Masala and it is also a must-use as a spice in Punjabi Garam Masala.
Kashmiri Cuisine uses dried ginger in their cooking particularly the Kashmiri Pandit community uses Dried Ginger to flavour their dishes.
For example
Mutton Rogan Josh.
Fajeto, Dhania Panchajeeri, Bajra Raab, and Tamarind Chutney are some of the Dried Ginger Flavoured dishes.
Sounth Ke Laddoo/Dried Ginger Laddoo is a winter delicacy. It helps to keep the body warm and eases the process of digestion. It is also consumed by lactating mothers.
TIPS TO BUY AND STORE DRIED GINGER POWDER/SUKKU
Dried Ginger and Dried Ginger Powder are easily available in any Asian and Indian store and also in the online markets.
When buying whole Dried Ginger, look for fresh, clean and completely dried one. When buying Dried Ginger powder, slightly sniff the package to feel a strong aroma, it indicated freshness. Always buy the recently dated products.
HOW TO STORE DRY GINGER/SUKKU?
Always store the dried ginger powder in an air-tight container in a cool and dry place away from moisture and humidity.
Sometimes, storing whole dried ginger easily catches bugs. To avoid that, better grind into powder and store.
HAPPY COOKING!
with better ingredients for better food.
Do check the below recipes using "Dry Ginger Powder/Sukku Podi/Sounth Powder"
🔗Ulundu Choru Recipe/Urad Dal Rice Recipe
🔗Nurukku Gothambu Payasam/Gothambu Pradhaman/Broken Wheat Payasam
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