If you are someone who is a fan of sushi, you would know how pink and white ginger adds to the flavor and aroma of the sushi. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that some sushi places serve ginger flakes with sushi that adds a detectable taste. So, if you don’t know the difference between pink vs. white ginger, we are sharing the information with you!
White Ginger vs Pink Ginger
White Ginger
White ginger is known for its sweet scent and aroma which adds a similar flavor to the sushi. The white ginger is cultivated in subtropical and warm temperatures as ornamentals. On the other hand, China is cultivated to be used for aromatic oil and medicine production. This is because white ginger has strong characteristics, especially in the flower area. Also, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that white ginger looks like jasmine but the flavor and fragrance are quite different.
White ginger is evergreen when in the warmer regions but gets deciduous in the mild winter temperatures of Europe and North America. White ginger is actually native to southern Asia, where it’s known as the herbaceous perennial shrub and is highly likely to create dense standards. However, it can be challenging to grow white ginger because managing the impacts can be difficult (it can replace other native plants). This is the prime reason it’s grown in the commercial sphere only.
White ginger has white flowers and stands on the spikers which are almost 10cm to 20cm long. In addition, they are extremely fragrant. As far as the fruit is concerned, it has a smooth texture with an oblong and capsule shape which is cut and chopped to be put on the sushi. The most interesting fact is that roots have a pinkish color but the fruit remains white. It can be easily grown in shaded, semi-shaded, and humus-rich soil conditions.
When it comes down to the application, white ginger is widely used in Thai cooking but it’s important to use young ginger as the mature ones will be extremely woody. In raw form, it has a hot flavor but it dissipates when cooked and leaves behind a bit of heat and peppery flavor. In addition, it adds hearty and zingy spiciness to the dish while the pine-like aroma brings water to the mouth. The ginger is crushed into a paste to be applied to sushi and other seafood as well.
Pink Ginger
Pink ginger is also known as red ginger and is generally grown in South Florida. Pink ginger is grown in moist and humid conditions and partial shelter is always preferred to ensure the plant thrives. The best thing about pink ginger is that it can bear the full sunny conditions and needs proper watering to ensure they grow properly. This is because pink ginger needs more water to grow and cannot be left to dry out. In addition, it can be easily grown at home and flowers are suitable for flower arrangement.
Pink ginger has tender flesh and boasts a pinkish color. It can be pickled when cut into thinner slices, which is made as garnishing for sushi. It can be pickled with sugar and vinegar which deepens the pink color to make it more prominent. In addition to garnishing, the picked pink ginger is also served as it is with sushi. For this purpose, the tender and freshest pink ginger are used. As far as the flavor is concerned, it has a naturally sweet flavor with translucent skin.
The buds and their tips also have a pinkish color. When it’s put in the vinegar and sugar solution, it will turn pinker within two to three minutes. When it comes down to sushi, only young pink ginger is used which gives it juicy and tender flesh. It is available in the early summer season and is incredibly easy to find in Asian grocery stores. When shopping for pink ginger, make sure that you look for pinkish tips on the ginger since it has a coloring pigment.
However, it’s important to add the pink color of pink ginger will mellow down after pickling which is why some restaurants also add pink color to make it more presentable and fresher. All in all, it has a mild flavor while the flesh is whitish and pulpy. Not to forget, the skin is extremely tender which doesn’t need peeling and be rubbed off.