Young ginger, shinshoga, is not just for making gari. Young ginger makes delicious ginger tea. This version is honey added. You can do it with sugar or without honey nor sugar. The strained ginger infused liquid is strongly flavored – spicy and sweet. I cut it with hot water (1 tablespoon ginger tea base for a tea cup) and drink it as a ginger tea. It has slight spiciness and touch of sweetness. This ginger tea really warms up my body. A perfect drink during cold season.
Ginger Tea Base
Yield: 1 1/4 cups
5 oz young ginger, green part cut off
3.5 oz honey
1 1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Scrub the young ginger with a hard brash to clean it. Cut the young ginger into paper thin slices, then, into julienne strips.
In a pot add the ginger strips, honey and water and bring it to a simmer. Turn the heat to low, cover the pot with a tight fitting lid and cook the ginger for 30 to 40minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and leave it until it cools down.
Drain the ginger infused liquid through a fine sieve set over a clean glass jar. Add the lemon juice and stir. Cover the glass jar with a tight fitting lid and store it in the refrigerator.
Do not throw away the left over ginger strips. You can make a ginger cake. Serving a slice of ginger cake with a cup of ginger tea………what a luxury it is.
Thank you Zaid and Norwich Meadows Farm!
For tea: Add 1 tablespoon ginger tea base to a tea cup. Fill the cup with hot water.