How to Make Dried Ginger Powder

Name: Dried Ginger Powder
Yield: 10
Cuisine: Asian

Of course you can buy ground ginger (also called powdered ginger). But chef David Thompson showed me how easy it is to make your own and, as he points out, “the perfume and taste of homemade dried ginger powder is much more alluring than any commercial one.”

In Thailand David dries ginger in the open air, as he does prawns. I suggest drying it in the oven while you’re making dried prawns and other dried rhizomes such as galangal and turmeric.

It generally takes about 2½–3 hours, maybe a bit longer depending on the temperature of your oven and the moisture level of the sliced ginger.

David recommends storing the whole pieces of dried ginger in the fridge and grinding them as needed because the fragrance and flavour deteriorate quickly once ground.

Ginger yields about 60% peeled weight and 10% dried weight, so 40g (1½oz) whole ginger yields about 4g (scant 2 teaspoons) ground ginger.

You’ll need:

oven
wire rack
baking tray
sharp knife
spice grinder or mortar and pestle

Here’s how easy it is to make dried ginger powder at home. Scroll down for a step-by-step video with David Thompson:

Turn the oven onto its lowest setting, ideally about 60°C (140°F) fan-forced.
Place a wire rack on a baking tray.
Peel and thinly slice the ginger.
Arrange ginger in a single layer on the rack.
Place in the oven for 2½–4 hours, until completely dry and brittle.
Refrigerate in an airtight container and grind as needed, no more than a day in advance.

Now you know how to make dried ginger powder you can use it in Aromatic Thai Tuna Skewers, Rice Noodles with Silken Tofu (Vegan Rad Na), Five Spice Ling, Guinea Fowl Bisteeya, Pumpkin Soup, Jamaican Coconut Drops, and Carrot Cake.