Throw a Piece of Ginger Into the Deep Fryer
I don’t think I’ve ever met a ginger that I didn’t like. Candied ginger, pickled ginger, fresh ginger – ginger is a good ginger. (I’m a ginger fan too, but that ‘s not about that.) I lean heavily on pickled ginger most of the time, especially in dressings and drinks, but in cold weather, a sweeter and warmer ginger root look is required. Cold weather calls for air-fried ginger.
Of course, it’s not really fried, but rather turbo fried. (I think “Turbo Roaster” would be a more accurate name for a deep fryer, but what’s done is done.) Semantics aside, air-fried ginger pleases most, if not all of your senses. It is caramelized, lightly candied and so soft you can tear it apart with your hands. It’s slightly less smoky than broiler-baked ginger (which is how Bon App fries their ginger), but the real difference lies in your electricity bills.
Instead of roasting one piece of ginger root in a large oven for 45 minutes to an hour, you can toss it unpeeled in a 400-degree deep fryer basket for about 30 minutes. I say “approximately” because I let the ginger hang in the basket while it heats up, which adds about three minutes to the total time.
Ginger is soft, aromatic and covered with wrinkled blisters. The flavor is softer, quieter, and warmer, and the unpeeled roasted root can be added to sauces, dressings, smoothies, and smoothies. Last night, I mixed a two-inch slice of fried ginger with sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar and a little sugar to make a boiled chicken sauce. It was great, but next time I’ll probably go with a neutral flavor, as the sesame oil toast hides the subtle nuances of ginger that are too beautiful to hide.
So, to recap, all you have to do to enjoy the tender, very sweet ginger is to put the washed, unpeeled root piece in the deep fat fryer basket, set the temperature to 400 ℉ and the time to 30 minutes. then step back and let the fryer do its thing, returning once to flip it somewhere in the middle. Remove from fryer, mix with food and repeat as needed.