Ginger in its raw root form may not be pretty, but its inner beauty emerges as a vital ingredient in a number of recipes readers submitted this month. Ginger is also well-known for its medicinal purposes.
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Almond Chicken2 cups cubed or shredded chicken
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 t. fresh ginger, shredded or diced finelyMix together, chicken, garlic and ginger. Allow to sit so flavors can blend while preparing rest of recipe.
Sauce3⁄4 cup chicken broth
1 t. chicken bouillon granules1⁄4 cup soy sauce
4 t. corn starchMix sauce ingredients together well and let stand to dissolve while completing rest of recipe.
2 carrots, sliced thin
1 head bok choy, chopped2 T. peanut oil
1⁄2 cup roasted sliced almonds
Saute carrots and bok choy in peanut oil until carrots start to barely get tender. Add chicken mixture followed by sauce ingredients. Stir until sauce thickens. Add more corn starch to thicken sauce if necessary. Garnish with almonds and serve.
Diane McDermott, Columbus, Ind.Snappy Ginger Pork Loin1 boneless pork loin (6-8 lbs.)
2 t. kosher salt
1 t. pepper
11⁄2 t. ginger
1 t. rosemary
1⁄2 box ginger snaps
Rub pork loin down with salt, pepper, ginger and rosemary. Place in slow cooker and cook 4-6 hours until tender. Remove meat from cooker, leaving broth. Crush ginger snaps to a fine powder with rolling pin and whisk into hot broth to make a rich gravy. Return pork to cooker and allow to simmer an additional 30 minutes. Slice and serve.
Melissa Laurey, Wagener, S.C.Spiced Chai Tea Mix3 cups nonfat dry milk powder
11⁄2 cups sugar or sucralose-based sweetener (Splenda)
11⁄2 cups unsweetened instant tea
3⁄4 cup vanilla-flavored powdered nondairy creamer
11⁄2 t. ground ginger
11⁄2 t. ground cinnamon
1⁄2 t. ground cardamom
1⁄2 t. ground clovesMix ingredients together in a large bowl. Transfer a couple cups of the mixture to a food processor or blender and whirl until powdery. Repeat to finish batch. This helps it dissolve in hot water. Store in an airtight container. To serve, place 3 heaping teaspoons in a mug and stir in boiling water. You can adjust the mix in your mug to meet your taste.
Julie Kline, Kewanna, Ind.Ginger Buttercake (Deusch Boterkoek)
1 egg
1 cup butter or margarine
3⁄4 cup sugar
1 t. vanilla
3 t. finely chopped preserved or candied ginger
2 cups flourSeparate the egg. (You will use both the yolk and white in the recipe.) Cream together butter, sugar and egg yolk. Add vanilla, ginger and flour. Spread onto a buttered 9-inch-by-13-inch pan. Beat egg white until frothy and spread over cake top. Bake at 375 F about 25 minutes, until golden brown. Cut into small 2-by-3 inch squares.
Dorris Smith, Angola, Ind.