# Seasoning question **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 29, 2007, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seasoning-question/413548 "2007-07-29T00:16:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2007, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seasoning-question/413548/1 "2007-07-29T00:16:36Z")
How much fresh ginger to replace 1/4 teaspoon dried-in-a-little-can ginger? ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2007, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seasoning-question/413548/2 "2007-07-29T02:07:06Z")
From [http://www.wildoats.com/redesign/hn.php?org=wildoats&ContentID=3602003](http://www.wildoats.com/redesign/hn.php?org=wildoats&ContentID=3602003) > [@](#): > > Dried ground ginger is not interchangeable with fresh ginger. If you do use ground ginger, it’s best in baked goods and desserts, such as gingerbread, cookies, and puddings. To substitute fresh ginger for ground, use 1 tablespoon (6g) fresh grated ginger to replace 1/8 teaspoon (0.2g) dried, ground ginger. It’s better not to substitute dry for fresh ginger in most Asian dishes. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2007, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seasoning-question/413548/3 "2007-07-29T02:11:07Z")
Agreed. The taste and fragrance is totally different. I might be tempted to dehydrate it myself and grind it, but I wouldn’t substitute directly for most recipes. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2007, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seasoning-question/413548/4 "2007-07-29T02:15:36Z")
Another “agreed.” You use dried ginger in dessert; it’s the ginger of gingerbread. You use fresh ginger in Asian cooking. I can’t think of a single situation in which I’d interchange them. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2007, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seasoning-question/413548/5 "2007-07-29T02:38:10Z")
[QUOTE=lissener] Another “agreed.” You use dried ginger in dessert; it’s the ginger of gingerbread. You use fresh ginger in Asian cooking. I can’t think of a single situation in which I’d interchange them. [/QUOTE] Maybe a desert trifle. I could see doing pound cake or white cake, minced fresh or dry or\* candied \*ginger, and cut mangoes, separated by layers of whipped cream or marscapone. Or served over ice cream. Or…dang, I’m hungry. The different gingers would yield different tasting deserts, but I bet they all would be good. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2007, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seasoning-question/413548/6 "2007-07-29T03:00:57Z")
[QUOTE=lissener] You use fresh ginger in Asian cooking. [/QUOTE] Interesting. It was a dipping sauce on the back of the McCormick Tempura box. Perhaps powdered was called for because McCormick doesn’t make fresh ginger. Orange juice, green onions, honey, soy sauce, powdered ginger. I used fresh ginger to taste, and Mrs. Plant liked it, so I must not have used enough. 🙂 Thanks, all. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2007, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seasoning-question/413548/7 "2007-07-29T03:21:05Z")
[QUOTE=carnivorousplant] Interesting. It was a dipping sauce on the back of the McCormick Tempura box. Perhaps powdered was called for because McCormick doesn’t make fresh ginger. Orange juice, green onions, honey, soy sauce, powdered ginger. I used fresh ginger to taste, and Mrs. Plant liked it, so I must not have used enough. 🙂 Thanks, all. [/QUOTE] Ah hah. That does change things, dunnit? Yep, I would have used fresh there as well - it’s probably a lot better than their recipe as written! Glad y’all liked it. ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2007, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seasoning-question/413548/8 "2007-07-29T07:01:38Z")
For next time, you can buy an entire giant “hand” of ginger for practically nothing at an asian grocer and freeze it. Next time you need grated ginger, you can grate it directly from frozen and it will keep indefinately. ---
**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2007, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seasoning-question/413548/9 "2007-07-29T07:09:09Z")
Haven’t you heard the answer to all seasoning queries is now **Bacon Salt**.