ginger

I learnt a brilliant new technique for using ginger in recipes today!

Previously, I'd go to the trouble of a rasp or grater to shred then squeeze ginger "pulp" when I only wanted the juice. Particularly with older hands of ginger, you really don't want tough fibres sticking in people's teeth. Young ginger isn't so much a problem, since it quickly dissolves away when cooked. Problem is, the average grocery store doesn't stock good young ginger, and older ginger have a more pungent, mature flavour profile that I personally prefer in heavier dishes (stews, Asian stir fries, curries).

So... take an old hand of ginger, wrap it in plastic wrap, and freeze it (at least overnight). Then when you need ginger juice, just thaw and squeeze the hand right into your dish! Crazy easy.

Those who remember high school bio will recall the razor-sharp edges of ice crystals, and how they expand to puncture and rupture the once-rigid plant cell walls, causing most frozen vegetables to thaw soggy and limp (celery being the best example for its high water content). The same happens to ginger, and you'll find that once thawed, it becomes a kind of ginger-soaked sponge -- PERFECT for flavour without the fibre.