Ginger

Ginger is a flowering plant whose rhizome, or root, is highly prized as a spice. It originated in Southern Asia and was exported to Europe as early as the Roman times. These days it’s mainly grown in India, Jamaica, Africa, China and Australia.

It’s widely used as a flavouring for many Asian and Caribbean dishes – most curries have a garlic and ginger base to which other spices are added. In Western culture, however, it’s more often used in baking, particularly in its powdered form (see above photo).