Ginseng is a very significant plant for some cultures because of the herb's reported curative properties. Several Asian cultures – the Chinese culture in particular – believe that ginseng is a sort of universal remedy, something that can prevent and cure a lot of illnesses. American Indians also believe that ginseng is a source of magic and can even be made into a potent love potion. Because of these opinions about the herb, many people have been and are still consuming ginseng in various forms. Ginseng can be ingested directly as food and can be added like seasoning or a major ingredient in several dishes. Root powder, root shavings, sliced roots, and even whole roots are used in soups, teas, and different viands.
Preparation. When using fresh ginseng roots, make sure the roots are washed thoroughly before being chewed on uncooked or cut up into smaller pieces and used as an ingredient. The roots can be baked, deep-fried, stir fried, stewed, brewed, boiled or even micro-washed depending on the dish one is going to make.
Ginseng roots are usually sliced before they are added as an ingredient in a dish. To easily cut up the roots, they can be placed inside a microwave or warmed in the oven for a couple of minutes before slicing. The sliced pieces can then be chewed on directly or brewed.
Dishes. Sliced roots are also normally used in stir fried or deep fried ginseng dishes. The dish, Deep Fried Ginseng, only requires ginseng slices to be dipped in a batter made of flour, egg, salt, and water before being deep fried. One can then dip the cooked ginseng slices in a sauce made of sherry, vinegar, soy sauce and sugar. Some cultures also put sliced ginseng roots in traditional chicken soup. They just throw in the slices into the pot and allow the soup to simmer for a couple of hours. When the roots become soft, they can be ateen separately or mashed into the soup.
Source by Jeff S.