fermenting ginger

Back in late spring I started a ginger ferment. My intention was to use this ginger culture to add to my kombucha and to use it for making homemade ginger ale, especially thinking about quenching our thirts with a healthy drink during  hot summer days. Fermenting is so easy and once you begin fermenting certain foods you discover how wide your options in considering the next food to ferment. All one needs to start this ferment is a pint-sized mason jar, a bit of cheesecloth, a rubber band, fresh ginger, water and sugar.

My recipe:
2 tablespoons of fresh, peeled grated ginger
2 tablespoons non-chlorinated water
2 tablespoons of unrefined cane sugar

Put all above ingredients into the jar, stir (I like to use a wooden spoon), place the cheesecloth over the jar's rim and secure it tightly with a rubber band.

Set this mixture on your kitchen counter, or any other out of the way place, the ideal temperature is around 75 degrees or higher. Sometimes room temperatures lower than this will not ferment as quickly. For the next five days feed it daily with the same amounts of ginger, water, and sugar. After five days you should be seeing foaming and bubbling action, if not it could be your room is too cool; continue to feed it until you see foaming and bubbling. If your mixture is foaming and bubbling, your culture is ready to use for homemade sodas, tonics or even, as I like, in kombucha.

I store my fermented ginger in the refrigerator with a covered lid, at any time I am free to scoop out some of the culture for any food I am wanting to apply ginger flavor. About every two weeks I will pull it out of the refrigerator, welcome it to my kitchen counter once again and begin a three day feeding process. If the culture is looking thick you may add 1/3 cup of water instead of the two tablespoons. Just this week my culture had grown to the point that I had to switch it to a quart-sized jar. Not only does this fermented ginger feed your gut beneficial bacteria promoting a healthy immune boost, but I am also enjoying the benefit of preserving of ginger that is  allowing me a good supply of ginger for salad dressings and cooking.