In Āyurveda
Caraka calls ginger viśvabheṣaja, “the universal medicine”, and no Indian kitchen has ever been without it. Fresh ginger cools into its pungency; dried ginger burns hotter, the same rhizome, two temperaments, chosen by the dosha of the day.
Dravya profile · Ārdraka (fresh) / Śuṇṭhī (dried)
- Part used
- Rhizome, fresh or dried
- Tastes
- pungent, sweet
- Properties
- heating, light, oily, sharp
- Doshas
- vāta + · pitta − · kapha +
Traditional indications: Kindles agni (dīpana), the classic before-meal appetiser; Nausea and travel sickness; cold-type coughs and sniffles; Warms cold hands and feet of vāta-type circulation; Traditional support for stiff, cold joints.
Use with caution: Heartburn, ulcers, acid reflux or pitta excess; use sparingly; Gallstones; Bleeding disorders, anticoagulants or pre-surgery; consult a physician; Large medicinal doses in pregnancy (culinary amounts are traditional).
Preparation: The classic appetiser: a thin slice of fresh ginger with a squeeze of lime and a pinch of rock salt, eaten ten minutes before lunch. As tea: simmer a few slices in water for 5 minutes, sip warm. Dried śuṇṭhī powder is stronger and hotter, half the quantity, with honey.
Used in 70 recipes
- Aloo Dum in Cashew Broth
- Aloo Gobi Bhaji
- Aloo Paratha
- Ambode
- Ash Gourd & Moong Soup (Kūṣmāṇḍa Rasa)
- Bengali Chenna Tarkari
- Bottle Gourd Sabzi (Lauki)
- Cabbage & Green Peas Bhaji
- Carrot–Ginger Soup
- Classic Kitchari (Moong Dal & Rice)
- Coconut Vegetable Korma
- Cucumber & Mint Salad with Coconut
…and 58 more, found by the ingredient filter on the recipes listing .
Related entries
- Sonth (Dry Ginger) , Dried ginger powder; saunth in the North, sukku in the South; the warming shelf-stable form of ginger.
Mentioned in
References
- Bhāvaprakāśa Nighaṇṭu , Bhāvamiśra (ārdraka & śuṇṭhī, heating, digestive, vāta-kapha-reducing)
- Ayurvedic Cooking for Self-Healing , Vasant Lad & Usha Lad