Ginger Powder

Ginger powder should be the easiest product to come by: It's just ginger, dried and ground, and that's it. Most jars don't stay that simple; they're stretched with rice flour or filled with an anti-caking agent, sold as "ginger powder" without either addition being clearly listed. This one needs none of that. It's ginger, ground to a powder, with nothing else standing between you and the actual ginger,

What is it?

One ingredient which is ginger that is cold-ground and kept in an air-tight pouch. No salt, no anti-caking agent, no filler. When grating a knob of ginger isn't convenient, use this to replace fresh ginger in tea, baking, curries, and marinades.

What is special about it?

One ingredient, dried and ground; what you taste is what's printed on the label, unlike many ground spices on the shelf that add an anti-caking agent to stay free-flowing at the cost of diluting the product.

Why choose Shaman?

The same reasoning as the red chilli flakes in this range: If the grinding process destroys the aroma, there is nothing else to fall back on, since there is only one ingredient. Cold-ground, not heat-processed, so gingerol, the compound that gives ginger its heat and sharpness, stays intact once the pouch is sealed. That's easy to verify with a single-ingredient product: no colours added, nothing to take on faith.

How do you use it?

For a kadha-style drink, add a small spoon to hot water with honey and lemon, or stir into chai with your regular spices. For baking, stir directly into the batter for gingerbread, cookies, or cake. Add early in cooking for a dal or curry, or use it in a marinade. This powder is approximately ¼ teaspoon for every teaspoon of fresh grated ginger.

What are some food pairings?

Tea, kadha and golden milk, baked goods such as gingerbread and cookies, dal and curries, marinades for paneer or vegetables, pickles where a warm and sharp note is the emphasis.

What's in it?

Just ginger; no salt, no anti-caking agent, and  no filler of any sort are added

How is it made?

Cold-ground, not heat-processed, which is more critical here than in most other products in the range, since there's no salt or other spice to fall back on if aroma is lost to heat during grinding.

What is the best way to know if ginger powder is of good quality?

Three things to check. First, it should have a sharp, slightly citrus smell the moment the pouch opens, not just a hot taste with no aroma behind it. Second, the colour should be a warm beige-tan, not bright, bleached white or grey. Third, a little natural clumping in moist conditions isn't a flaw — it's a sign no anti-caking agent is fighting the moisture, the way a heavily processed powder would.

This one ticks all three: sharp citrus aroma, natural beige-tan colour, and the occasional natural clump

What is the best way to store it?

Airtight, cool and dry, away from direct sunlight and always with a dry spoon. Without an anti-caking agent, moisture is what causes it to clump, so an airtight pouch between uses is more important here than with a blended masala.

Can it be used on a daily basis?

Yes, it's naturally occurring in the ginger and not added, and it's still much lower than any blended masala (which ranges from 1100mg to 1500mg of sodium per 100g).