Ginger is a tuber that is consumed whole as a delicacy, medicine, or spice. It is the rhizome of the plant Zingiber officinale. It lends its name to its genus and family (Zingiberaceae).
Other notable members of this plant family are turmeric, cardamom, and galangal. Ginger cultivation began in South Asia and has since spread to East Africa and the Caribbean.
It is sometimes called root ginger to distinguish it from other things that share the name ginger. Vietnamese stocks, seafood and braised dishes often contain fresh ginger root, a light-brown, gnarly root with a pungent, peppery, sweet taste. Braised dishes are browned in fat, then simmered in a covered container, in a small amount of liquid. Clean and peel the ginger root before using it, then chop or slice the ginger.
