Are Ginger Plant Leaves Edible? Ginger leaves are tender, crisp and have a less pungent ginger flavour, which is slightly peppery and sweet. Ginger leaves grow alternately and develop an envelope that surrounds a thick green stem. They have long, narrow blades that taper to a point and are on average 15 to 30 centimetres long. Leaves and stalk are joined by a soft, fragrant, crispy root (the root is about two centimetres long) with a thin skin that is pink to milky white.
Leaves are available in the summer.
Current Facts
Ginger leaves have over two hundred scents, and what we taste in the mouth is not a taste, but actually a spicy scent. Ginger leaves are classified as Zingiber officinale, a slow-growing perennial from the Zingiberaceae family. Also known as Yanaka Shoga, Bon Shoga or ha-Shoga, ginger leaves are harvested when the ginger rhizome is young and used for spices and medicinal purposes.
Nutritional value
Ginger Leaves Are best
Ginger leaves are best suited for raw or cooked applications such as steaming, sautéing or boiling. Its herbal and citrus flavours can be used in desserts, soups, stews and curries. They can also be cooked in soy sauce, sweet pickled ginger dips, moro and miso pastes and eaten as vegetable sticks. Ginger leaves are tough enough to eat as a whole, so they can be chopped and added raw to salads. They are also used as a side dish, crushed and added to tabbouleh and couscous.
Ginger leaves can be combined with mackerel, pork, rice, tempura, miso soup and salads. In addition to boiled preparations, fresh or dried ginger leaves can also be boiled to make tea. Ginger leaves will last for a few days if stored in a plastic bag in the fridge.
Applications
Ginger leaves are best suited for raw or cooked applications such as steaming, sautéing or boiling. Its herbal and citrus flavours can be used in desserts, soups, stews and curries. They can also be cooked in soy sauce, sweet pickled ginger dips, moro and miso pastes and eaten as vegetable sticks. Ginger leaves are tough enough to eat as a whole, so they can be chopped and added raw to salads. They are also used as a side dish, crushed and added to tabbouleh and couscous.
Ginger leaves can be combined with mackerel, pork, rice, tempura, miso soup and salads. In addition to boiled preparations, fresh or dried ginger leaves can also be boiled to make tea. Ginger leaves will last for a few days if stored in a plastic bag in the fridge.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Ginger leaves became a popular product in the Edo period and were used as summer gifts by merchants, craftsmen and Yanaka monks. Ginger leaves are also known as Yanaka Shoga and are a special local product of the Yanaka region in Tokyo, Japan.
Geography/History
Ginger leaves are native to Asia, especially India and China, and have been used since ancient times. Traders brought ginger from the Mediterranean to England in the 11th century. Today, ginger leaves are available in fresh markets in Asia, Europe, the United States and South America.
Recipe Ideas
This recipe also contains ginger leaves. One is the easiest, three is the hardest and so on. This is one of the easiest of the three and the most difficult.
Recently Shared
Produce sharing allows you to share your discoveries with your neighbors around the world. People can share ginger leaves with the Specialty Produce app for iPhone and Android.
Chefs around the world shave fennel. Determine your location and specialty in the app and inform others about the unique flavors they have. Their market offers everything from greens to dragon apples.
