Candied

I love ginger.

I especially love a bit of ginger with my meal (finely chopped raw ginger).

But, I also love candied ginger.

So, with some of the home grown ginger I've harvested I decided to make some of the latter.

First, I peeled the ginger - using a teaspoon makes that task easy.

Peel the ginger with a teaspoon

Then the peeled ginger was thinly sliced with the assistance of a mandolin.

When slicing the ginger with the mandolin, use a flat hand to
 hold it securely - less sliced fingers this way

This sliced ginger went into a pot with enough water to cover it completely.

Add enoughj water to just cover the peeled sliced ginger

After boiling for 30-odd minutes, the ginger was removed from the liquid in the pot and drained.  The liquid was reserved in a jug.

Peeled sliced ginger simmering in plain water

Using ½ - 1 cup of the reserved liquid add it back to the pot with 1½ - 2 cups of granulated sugar.

As the ginger simmers in the sugar syrup you will notice that it
 becomes more and more translucent

Heat gently whilst stirring until the sugar is dissolved and then add the ginger to that mixture and simmer gently for 30 - 40 minutes until the ginger is transluscent and glassy looking.

Sugar syrup soaked ginger draining before dusting with castor sugar

Remove the ginger from the pot with a fork and place piece by piece on a drying rack.  Allow to drain of all the excess juice overnight (any excess juice will cause the castor sugar to dissolve instead of adhering to the ginger.)

Homemade candied ginger

The next morning toss the now drained ginger in castor sugar and place in an airtight container.

I have found that leaving the candied ginger for a week or two improves the first taste of end product.
  
Then, climb in...😀

Shelf life - a good 9 - 12 months, if not longer.  If it lasts that long...  Just ensure that it is kept in an airtight container.

Ingredients for candied ginger:

400 - 450 gms (1lb) peeled and sliced ginger.  (Try and use young fresh ginger as it will contain less "fribrous threads".)
Water - enough to cover the sliced ginger
2 cups of granulated sugar
Castor sugar - for coating the cooked ginger.

Left over syrup from first boil

The leftover juice (from the initial boil) was added to the left over sugar syrup and reduced down.  That will be used for:

Adding to lemon and honey and warm water - very soothing drink for a sore throat
To drizzle over pancakes / waffles / fruit salad
In a salad dressing
Drizzled over roasted veg
To add to sauces for that asian flavour
With the addition of lemon juice, to glaze chicken (or our turkey this Christmas)

Be warned - this syrup will be concentrated - with a really good bite to the finished product.