Illustration for article titled You Don't Have to Peel GingerPhoto: Stephen Gibson (Shutterstock)

As I got older, I’ve become more critical of most things, but the longer I live, the less picky I am about peels. Unlike my seven-year-old who wouldn’t eat an apple if it hadn’t been peeled, cored, and cut into segments, I’m now a huge fan of nature’s edible wrapping paper. (Strangely enough, paprika skins are the exception; peeled peppers melt into sauces.)

Illustration for article titled You Don't Have to Peel Ginger

Ginger is my favorite thing right now to avoid peeling. It started slowly and carefully – I didn’t pull a 1-inch button off before slicing it Poached chickenand the chicken came out just as juicy and flavorful as always. Then I got a little braver and chopped it up, also unpeeled, before adding it to fried rice. Again, there was no discernible difference in taste or quality. Finally, I tried it raw and rubbed unpeeled ginger right on mine tiny tomato toast. It was delicious.

The only real preparation for ginger is a quick wash under running water and possibly a little scrub with a bristle brush if you’re really concerned about dirt. There is no need to peel it. Ginger skin is so thin and delicate that it is practically undetectable on anything you add. You can’t taste the peel, you can’t feel the peel on your tongue, and – unless you leave it in large, raw pieces – you can’t even really see the peel. Not peeling ginger is also the less wasteful, more economical approach. Instead of trying to peel these tiny little nubs and cuttings with a spoon – rarely a successful endeavor – you can slice, dice, grate, and chop them along with the larger, thumb-shaped pieces. There is no downside.

The only exception is when you’re dealing with stale, wrinkled ginger with hard skin. If you want to work it into a bowl, you’ll need to remove it, as well as any meat that has become woody and fibrous. (A spoon won’t cut it for that tough kid – use a paring knife.) Honestly, when ginger gets to that point, I just chop it up – unpeeled – and pour screeching hot oil over it to make one Ginger flavored oil. Add a few tiny cloves of garlic– which I don’t want to peel either – and you have a good base for a dip sauce.

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