How to Make Vietnamese Candied Ginger
Making candied ginger is not difficult, and Cookbeo even finds it simpler and more likely to succeed compared to making other types of candied fruits like candied winter melon or candied coconut.
As long as you choose good ginger and pay attention to the candying process, you can easily make fragrant, beautiful candied ginger on your first attempt.
During the Tet holiday, in the cool weather, enjoying a slice of mildly sweet, fragrant, and slightly spicy candied ginger is truly delightful.
Ingredients
- 300g ginger
- 200g white sugar
- 1 lemon
Ingredient Notes
Because ginger already has a strong aroma, there's no need to add vanilla or other extracts like with other candied fruits.
However, to make delicious candied ginger that's not too spicy, it's best to choose young ginger, which is not too old and not too young, with a bright lemon-yellow color and smooth skin. Additionally, select large, plump ginger roots with few small sprouts, so the slices will be large and not crumbly.
Instructions
Prepare the Ginger
You can peel the ginger using a knife or scrape off the skin and rinse it clean. Alternatively, you can rinse the ginger under running water and use a spoon to scrape off the skin, which is easier and doesn't remove too much of the ginger flesh.
If you have time, you can soak the ginger in cold water for about 30 minutes, which will make the skin easier to remove. At that point, you only need to lightly scrape it off with a spoon.
After rinsing the ginger, slice it into pieces about 0.15-0.2cm thick. Avoid cutting the ginger too thick, as the candied ginger may become too moist after cooking.
Slice the ginger into pieces about 0.15-0.2cm thick.
After slicing, boil the ginger to reduce its spiciness. Bring a pot of water to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and squeeze in the juice of 1 lemon. The lemon juice helps the ginger retain its bright color and become more tender and pliable.
Add the ginger slices to the boiling water and cook for about 2-3 minutes to reduce the spiciness. Then, remove the ginger and rinse it thoroughly. Boil the ginger a second time, but without lemon juice, to avoid making it too sour. After boiling, rinse the ginger again. If it is still too spicy, you can boil it a third time.
After boiling, rinse the ginger and let it drain completely.
Marinate with Sugar
Place the ginger in a bowl and marinate it with sugar. The amount of sugar should be at least half the weight of the ginger. You can add more sugar if you prefer a sweeter taste, but not less. Using too little sugar will prevent the ginger from crystallizing properly, and it will not dry out during cooking.
For 300g of ginger, marinate it with 200g of sugar.
Marinate the ginger for about 3-4 hours. Stir occasionally to help the sugar dissolve more quickly.
Cook the Candied Ginger
Once the sugar has dissolved, the ginger slices will have absorbed the sugar, becoming translucent and slightly pliable. The ginger fibers will also have contracted compared to their original size.
Pour the ginger and sugar mixture into a pan. Start by cooking over medium-low heat. For example, if your stove has 8 heat settings, set it to 3. Allow the sugar to simmer gently without stirring, so the ginger absorbs the sugar and doesn't crystallize too quickly.
When the sugar syrup has reduced to about half its original volume and starts to thicken, reduce the heat slightly and stir gently.
When the ginger and sugar begin to stick together and stirring becomes more difficult, lower the heat to the lowest setting. Stir continuously until the ginger slices separate and the sugar crystallizes into a white powder coating. At this point, turn off the heat but leave the pan on the stove and continue stirring for another 5-10 minutes. On average, the candying process takes about 30-35 minutes.
When candying ginger, pay attention to the color of the slices. If the ginger is still a deep yellow and feels slightly moist in the center, continue cooking until it is fully dried. The surface should be coated with a white layer of sugar, and the ginger should feel dry to the touch. This ensures the candied ginger can be stored for longer without becoming too moist.
Finally, wearing food-safe gloves, gently press the ginger slices to help the sugar coat them evenly. This is a great tip to keep the ginger slices straight and ensure the sugar forms a light, even coating, so the candied ginger isn't too sweet. After cooking, the ginger will be a pale white, dry, and ready to store.
To extend the shelf life of the candied ginger, you can dry it in the sun for 4-6 hours, or lightly bake it in the oven or air fryer at a low temperature, adjusting according to the specific appliance. Be sure to monitor the ginger to avoid over-drying, which can make it too hard. Alternatively, you can let the ginger rest for 30 minutes, then return it to the pan and cook for another 5-6 minutes on the lowest heat setting to ensure it is thoroughly dried.
