GINGER IS WEIRD - All about the edible seeds, flowers, rhizomes and FRUIT of gingers

[@WeirdExplorer]

Come see me and my feature length documentary on NUTMEG Live in NYC. Dec 15, 2024: nutmegscreeningnyc.eventbrite.com

[@ChaosPootato]

"wuh ackh ugh" is my favorite flavor

[@isaaco5679]

I think he needs to say galangal a few more times! Lol

[@Bobson_Dugnutt_Esq]

Gotta put some wuh ackh ugh on that thing. (This will definitely not be outdated in two days)

[@ssatva]

19:14 "Unhihn, hein hein hein" is a key component to the flavor profile of Grains of Paradise, it seems...

[@joekeegan-yc4nm]

Hawk Tuah

[@_efault]

hawk tuah

[@thespeedofplant5427]

Aloha WeirdExplorer, I'm a botanist on the island of Oahu. I recognized your mystery ginger (19:36). It's grown in Hawaii as an ornamental plant. We call it shell ginger (Alpinia zerumbet). That particular plant was variegated so it came from horticultural stock and was probably planted as an ornamental because of the beautiful striped leaves. On a side note, the one you ID as soap ginger (24:43) is actually a close relative called beehive ginger (Zingiber spectabile). Beehive ginger is a common landscaping plant out here. It often gets mistaken for soap ginger (Zingiber zerumbet) which is also known as awapuhi in Hawaiian. Love your channel! Long time fan. Mahalo, Shawn

[@TaLeng2023]

How to differentiate them? The seller just label it "shampoo ginger". It haven't flowered yet so far.

[@phlogistanjones2722]

@thespeedofplant5427 AHA! I recognize AWAPUHI as an ingredient in high-end "fancy" shampoo my girlfriend uses! It is nice to find out information like this. Thank you. Peaceful Skies.

[@carolinekaufman2210]

Oh man the plants of hawaii are sooooo cool! It would be wonderful to explore more hawaiian plants!

[@eeeehale]

One of the most excellent botanical gardens I've visited was there in Wahiawa. Thanks for the clarifications offered in such a respectful way.

[@rafa6222]

Alpina zerumbet is used dried as a spice for Chinese hotpot.

[@MermaidMakes]

When I studied herpetology in Florida, we had so much soap ginger growing all over campus. It really came in handy out in the field, especially because my study was on Cuban Treefrogs. After hours of catching and numbering specimens, their mucus would coat our hands, and was very irritating if you accidentally rubbed your eyes. The Soap Ginger removed the irritating mucus when plain water struggled (we didn’t ever carry soap, it would have been just one more thing to lug around with all of our equipment), so it became an excellent friend to us.

[@ferretyluv]

That’s so interesting. It’s soap ginger because you can use it as soap. I wonder what the chemical reaction was, like which ester in the ginger is interacting with the mucus.

[@MermaidMakes]

@@ferretyluv I’m no botanist, but my guess is that it’s more of a physical reaction than chemical, in that whatever compounds are in the water act as a surfactant just like soap. Soap also lifted and removed the mucus, but we had to wait until we got back to the lab, and it was really difficult to remember not to rub your eyes for hours on end! 😆

[@AncientWildTV]

​@@MermaidMakes thats cool. How did you know the benefits of soap ginger for removing it?

[@hunterduncan8824]

This is what we do with spider wart plants during spring and summer! We never carry bug bite medicine because crushing the stems and getting the mucus out works so much better than any topical we’ve tried, and we all have severe allergies!

[@JAPANattacks]

We use the soap ginger in Japan for intimate lubricant sometime

[@Annaeliza96]

Long time watcher, but I’ve never commented. I just wanted to say your videos bring so much joy to my life. Ive watched your videos through addiction, homelessness, recovery, and now intense nerve pain in my mouth 😭 still managing to brighten my day. You’re interesting, informative, and true to yourself, not many are like that. Thank you for being you and doing all of this.

[@WeirdExplorer]

Thanks so much. I hope the nerve pain gets better soon 😕

[@Annaeliza96]

@@WeirdExplorer this too shall pass 😌

[@stevenpham6734]

I can partly relate. Have been watching the channel for almost a decade of my 20s, so much has changed

[@mssarioglu]

First time watcher. I agree so fast 😂

[@Liliarthan]

Vostok’s “I love you” eyes tells me that her safety message was shared with love and biscuits. Thank you safety kitty. 💜

[@sergeant_sushi6078]

I'm a chef and I really appreciate these videos where you're just experimenting and trying new things. You give me a lot of inspiration for new creations! I had no idea ginger was such a versatile plant, and I will likely try out dried torch ginger to see if I could use it in my recipes.

[@WeirdExplorer]

I'm so glad!

[@ferretyluv]

Now the problem is that you’re going to have to charge a lot because these are hard to get ahold of.

[@cjmac9641]

What a fantastic comment!

[@Karoline_g]

Once upon a time when I was in school for Chinese medicine, I noticed that the Chinese name for medicinal galagal basically translates to “big power ginger”. I called it high octane ginger for years. :) you have absolutely validated my studies and sense of humor today!

[@LOVEisTHEultimateLAW]

oh yeah galangal is big powered ginger indeed XD got some at my local viet store once and WOW 10x stronger than ginger

[@SamTahbou]

Does Chinese medicine do anything?

[@Karoline_g]

@@SamTahbou ….seriously? 👀 Well, I’ve been a professional acupuncturist and Chinese herbalist for nearly 20 years, so I certainly think so. Beyond that, I’d suggest doing some Google searches or even checking pubmed to see the thousands of studies on the topic.

[@Somedude20282]

​@@SamTahbouIt's a mix! Some yes some no- plenty of medicinal herbs have proven oils and compounds that can help with various illnesses

[@Arithryka]

​@@Somedude20282 also, "it's complicated!" I remember reading about a study that tested an herbal remedy for malaria. The modern method of preparing the remedy destroyed the compound that would treat malaria (I think it got too hot maybe?) but they were able to find or re-develop a method that worked.

[@noelcrenshaw7969]

Did I just watch a 25min video about ginger and enjoy it? Yes. Yes I did

[@EShirako]

Me too, so I won't say anything bad about you OR ginger..! :)

[@Alexander-iq1fx]

More disclaimers from you cat please

[@WeirdExplorer]

She's looking out for us

[@Konarcoffee]

I like what's she doing with her paw very much

[@BillCoz]

@@WeirdExplorer Give her a cutesy voice to disclaim stuff to us.

[@sandrastreifel6452]

@@KonarcoffeeThat’s the warning, be safe or you get the spikey paw!

[@Hsssssssssssssssssss]

Disclaimer : you cant eat a ginger cat😾

[@keegsmarshall6610]

It constantly amazes me how so many strategies used by plants to repel insects produce flavours and sensations that are loved by humans.

[@tealkerberus748]

Sucks to be a plant. Plant: "Hey, I'll make this really irritating burning chemical so that insects and animals won't eat me!" Humans: "Mmm, tasty! Make more!"

[@newolde1]

​@@tealkerberus748nah that's the beauty of the cycle of life! Imo plants want to be propagated. They have many strategies, scent, flavor, sticky or latching seeds etc..

[@tealkerberus748]

@@newolde1 "be liked by the humans" is definitely the best strategy for most plants, even if they only stumbled on it by accident while trying to drive us away. They're definitely much less likely to go extinct if we decide we want them around.

[@kuratr]

Marijuana develops resinous trichomes to protect from insects, fungi, regulate temperature, protect from UV rays etc Humans: let's smoke it lelz

[@angharadllewellyn2192]

Thanks very much. I'm a retired North American botanist living in the New World Tropics. I have about 8 different gingers in my garden. This is the ONLY place I've seen that provides so much interesting info on gingers. I'd like for you to do a podcast about the fruit from Monstera deliciosa that also grows WILD here. Ravenala madagascariensis and Strelitzia also grow in my garden. All these plants are in the Ginger order, along with Bananas, Canna, Costa & Heliconia I am in a botanical paradise! Thanks again!

[@takforalt]

I added ginger, galangal, turmeric, finger root, black pepper and plai, also in the ginger family with anti-inflammation properties, with enough vodka to cover it. I let it sit for 8 weeks and then mixed it with soda water, a squirt of lime, and a bit of honey. It tastes fantastic, warming like ginger but with a deeper, earthy taste. Hopefully, I will have this healthy anti-oxidant/anti-inflammatory concoction once a week. I live in Thailand, so I can get it all fresh.

[@brandonmorningstar6176]

My man, you made infused vodka and then made some sorta boujee ass vodka colins with it. Don't try to tell us you're being healthy 🤣

[@takforalt]

@@brandonmorningstar6176 It is a potent tincture, only a tiny amount, about an ounce a week. You don't have to buy it, and I am not selling it saying it is loaded with ginger family antioxidants; the alcohol amount is genuinely trivial.

[@torvegademe]

Hej @takforalt - jeg går ud fra at du er dansk 😊 Jeg sværger selv til ingefær og vil meget gerne vide mere om din recept. Er du sikker på, at de gavnlige egenskaber bevares i spiritusudtræk? Vh Lene fra Helsingør

[@takforalt]

@@torvegademe Hej @torvegademe, mit navn er Ken. Du har ret i at tænke på mig som dansker på grund af måden, jeg skrev "tak" i stedet for "takk" eller måske "tack". Det ser bedre ud, og måske vil de fleste engelsktalende få udtalen tættere på. Jeg er amerikaner af norsk afstamning. Min far blev født i Norge og emigrerede til Amerika som teenager. Jeg bor i Thailand. Her har de alle medlemmer af ingefærfamilien tilgængelige. Min første oplevelse med de antiinflammatoriske egenskaber i denne familie var med Plai. De brugte det i en massage- og spa-sted her i Phuket for år tilbage. Derefter, da jeg var i USA, hørte jeg konstant om de antiinflammatoriske fordele ved gurkemeje. Jeg lavede lidt research online og lærte, at ingefær også har antiinflammatoriske kemikalier, som ligner de andre, men ikke er de samme. Jeg tænkte, at der måske kunne være en synergistisk effekt ved at inkludere dem alle i én afkogning. Jeg har ikke forsket i finger ingefær, men den er i samme familie og bruges i thailandsk madlavning, så hvorfor ikke, jeg vil inkludere dem alle i alkohol med sort peber, som er kendt for at blokere leveren fra at nedbryde disse kemikalier. Spørgsmålet om alkohol virkelig ekstraherer alle de kendte gavnlige forbindelser - det ved jeg ikke med sikkerhed, men dette blev gjort for sjov. Jeg har ikke et inflammationsproblem. Og hvis jeg havde, ville jeg tage en anden tilgang først, nemlig fiskeolie, NAC - N-acetylcystein; hvis du er interesseret, må du gerne skrive.

[@MaxPolun]

Another commonly used ginger rhyzome is sand ginger. I see it called for dried in Chinese recipes all the time, and Wikipedia says it's used a lot in Indonesia.

[@totot99]

It *is* used a lot in Indonesia, especially on the island of Java and Bali, for salads, stews, soups, snacks etc. In Malaysia it is most used in the cuisine of the Penang Nyonyas (specifically Penang).

[@munirahbakar4123]

In Malaysia, we call it "cekur" (not to be confused with "cekur manis", which is a different plant) and mainly use the leaves rather than the rhizome (except, of course, in the aforementioned Nyonya cuisine).

[@totot99]

​​​​@@munirahbakar4123specifically PENANG Nyonya cuisine. the emphasis is important. the Nyonya cuisines of Melaka, Terengganu and Kelantan do not use the rhizomes. the only non-Penang-Nyonya Malaysian dishes that I know of that use the rhizomes are getik (Malaysian Javanese sand ginger coconut stew, usually catfish for protein) and lontong Banjar from Tenglu, Mersing (not lontong Banjar from actual Banjarmasin, which is different).

[@synx6272]

i love kencur in sambal!! also it is widely used to make Seblak here in West Java

[@rurascarlet6544]

Beras kencur my beloved (it's a rice drink with that rhyzome in it)

[@ripcactusify]

Tysm for making these videos weird explorer. A lotta us environmental science majors love your stuff. It was kinda nuts finding out how many people I know personally who watch your stuff, especially when you were a kinda smaller channel back then. You're actually extremely popular with us! And it's so cool to see you've grown so much since then. I was actually inspired to change majors (from bio to eco) from your videos years ago. A lot of us absolutely LOVE finding out about different types of fruits (and nuts etc).

[@UsenameTakenWasTaken]

My 'tism made reading this very funny the first time around.😂

[@ripcactusify]

@@UsenameTakenWasTaken no yeah I got the tism too and it makes writing things kinda weird >.

[@zackweiler1397]

Just a quick, interesting technique for getting ginger juice. You can put ginger in the freezer for a week+. When you thaw it afterwards, the ginger can be squeezed with your fingers to get the juice out. Freezing it allows the ice to break down cell walls and turns it from a hard root, into more of a sponge type texture. We put ginger in our morning drinks everyday and having easier to squeeze ginger is a life/time saver.

[@vanessajoycecollett6607]

Omg thanks for sharing

[@pattheplanter]

The pepper/beef one is almost certainly Alpinia zerumbet. The soap ginger you show is definitely Zingiber spectabile - not Zingiber zerumbet (not to be confused with the quite different Alpinia zerumbet, gingers can get very confusing). I recommend gbif for helping to identify plants by location. The mango tasting root is probably Curcuma amada, the mango ginger which is in the same genus as turmeric. The leaves look right for that. The essential oil of the rhizome is very pleasant but loses its smell very rapidly on storage. Krachai (finger root) and kentjoer are less common in Europe but a good Thai or Indonesian shop should have them along with galangal. Certainly British ones have them. That is a really old and woody sample of galangal you had, most we get here is pale, slender, tender and pink. The loss of the first r in turmeric seems to be quite a recent phenomenon, mostly in shops.

[@totot99]

Interesting that you spelled it as kentjoer and not kencur

[@pattheplanter]

@@totot99 I got my first fresh sample of kentjoer root from a shop in Amsterdam 25 years ago. So I think of it by the Dutch name. Brought it back and grew it. Beautiful flower, like so many gingers. I have grown quite a few species of ginger over the years.

[@jacqdanieles]

Yes, you're right. It's used as an ornamental plant -- variegated ginger -- in gardens in Florida & other tropical areas. I had no idea it was edible. Apparently it's commonly called "Shell Ginger" -- _alpinia zerumbet variegata_ There's a video called "cooking with Shell Ginger" that's interesting.

[@bluesteno64]

Yeah! I think the pronouncing of turmeric to “tumeric” has caused people to spell it that way as well.

[@pattheplanter]

@@bluesteno64 Yes, I much prefer not pronouncing it like tumour.

[@Hortifox_the_gardener]

Your new super long documentary format is *awesome*! Nobody would ever take this much time to talk about ginger outside of "boring" botanical publications. If you look up something about ginger you will only find scummy stock footage garbage selling ginger as miracle food (and of course diet wonder drug). Thanks so much!

[@dishwasher1070]

this channel is becoming such an in depth pool of knowledge. I love how all the old videos are referenced and that you go back and make corrections or new insights on what you previously mentioned.

[@censusgary]

7 dollars in New York is a lot cheaper than 15 cents in Indonesia, if you count the cost of going to Indonesia.

[@jasonjayalap]

Yes but it's even more expensive to go from Indonesia to NY and pay $7.

[@RadenWA]

And now we understand the spice trade!

[@rvcrhelpdesk6364]

Can we count the cost of living in New York?

[@krystal6137]

Vostok is so beautiful, her eyes are mesmerizing.

[@TheWeirdestOfBugs]

Vostok, the Securikitty. Loved how she was making biscuits with her little paw. Ginger has become one of my best friends since I suffer from vertigo. No one knows why it works, but it helps me feel better every time it attacks.

[@Just1Nora]

Oh? I'm a BPPV sufferer myself. Please, tell me more. Getting a shower day before yesterday l turned around and flipped my head upside down too many times and I had to recline on my bed for 20 minutes before I could move around safely and without feeling extremely nauseous. (I'm always a fan of air biscuits) 😂

[@TheWeirdestOfBugs]

@@Just1Nora Ginger tea (just place the ginger in hot water and let it steep for 3 to 5 minutes) has been REALLY effective for my nausea. It also prevented me from getting motion sickness while traveling by car or bus.

[@lemonyskunkketts7781]

Get your ears checked.

[@TheWeirdestOfBugs]

@@lemonyskunkketts7781 Been going to doctors over this for a long time. And the tea does help the biggest problem, the nausea.

[@jbeargrr]

Do you have Menier's disease? I have that. I can go long periods with no episodes, then get them in clusters. I get a high pitched ringing in my ears, then the world seems to tilt and spin. Mine don't last very long, maybe a couple of minutes, but that's enough to put me on the floor, puking. At that point I'm not in any condition to make tea. I can't do anything but lie there for awhile. I've started taking meclizine daily, as a motion sickness preventative. I've had a couple of episodes since I started taking it, and it stops the horrible nausea. I still feel shaky and wrung out afterwards, but it stops the lying on the floor puking part.

[@davidedgar2818]

I live in Hawaii and grow a few varieties of edible gingers. I was not aware that so many other varieties fruits were also used in cooking. The soap ginger you showed we have hear but it's not the " shampoo" ginger that I was aware of. The " shampoo ginger flower is similarly shaped but has delicate blossoms in purple/White or all white. There is a sap in the blossom that is somewhat jelly like and used as a shampoo and body wash. I have used it and it really does work. It is better than any bottled shampoo. I do have the white variety growing on the farm I live on.

[@freakfreak786]

One of the primary uses of torch ginger stems is in flavoring soups and stews. In Malaysian and Indonesian cuisine, the stems are often added to dishes like laksa and asam pedas, imparting a distinctive aroma and depth of flavor. By cutting the stems into smaller pieces, they can be simmered in broths and stews, providing a subtle yet complex taste.

[@AwesomeFish12]

Alpinia caerulea(Australian Blue Ginger) is a controversial one in terms of the edibility of the seeds, some people say the seeds will make you sick, some say they are deadly if you eat enough and some people say that drying the fruit whole and grinding it up along with the seeds to make a herbal tea is a traditional use and perfectly safe.

[@spamletspamley672]

You missed one that is sold in some of our Indian shops in the UK. It's Zedoary but they call it 'Amba', and it is a white alternative to turmeric so that you don't have to stain all your dishesand microwave plastic. It has nice leaves and I grow it as a houseplant, though I've not got it to flower yet, and these look quite beautiful in pictures. The leaves do die back as each rhizome is used up but shoots soon come out from the new rhizomes if you haven't eaten them. As for turmeric powder ('haldi'), I find it much more bitter than the fresh, orange, root, and very rarely use it since supermarkets started stocking the fresh rhizomes. Chinese warehouses, have fresh galangal, which is infinitely better than the almost tasteless but expensive jars of minced stuff. Indian shops have bags of dried slices of galanga, but they are pieces of wood that are probably best broken up and steeped in boiling water that you then strain to use. There is a 'wild' flower in the pea family, called 'galingale' or 'Goat's Rue' in the UK. Some say it's a pest, but it's an attractive one. I don't know why the name is so similar to galanga, but, in a country where all the shops sell Nigella seed as 'onion seed', anything is possible! :)

[@SobrietyandSolace]

I much prefer fresh turmeric root for tea. So nice with milk and honey

[@edibletropicaltrees]

I'm growing 3 different types of ginger in Mesa, Arizona. One is the Shampoo Ginger. I like growing all different kinds of plants the most people tell me won't grow in the deserts in Arizona. I have around 400 trees growing at my house.

[@tammibolender3785]

We found the varigated ginger at a local nursury, they said it was for decoration only, good to know that it is very likely edible like any other ginger. Next time I see it I am going to buy it because it is beautiful too. I love that you guys are sweating you behinds off to get the goods to show us, I appreciate your efforts.

[@sandrastreifel6452]

There are so many beautiful Ginger relatives. The blossoms just scream “tropics”!

[@StuffandThings_]

Do be careful, not all parts of all gingers are fully recognized as edible. I know that at least Myoga, which is a very popular ornamental one which has some variegated forms, only is known for its edible flowers, so don't eat the rhizomes.

[@tammibolender3785]

@@StuffandThings_ that may have been what it was. It would be great if more plant stores and nurseries told you the name of the plant rather than just telling you it is ornamental ginger or "tropical foliage".

[@zard5930]

Thank you, handsome cat named Vostok, for the disclaimer about safety. I love how it just kneads in the air. Such a helpfull cutie!

[@Caberbalschnit]

I love ginger, all parts. I'm glad to see someone make a video of hard to find exotic species. Prolly one of my favorite vids from this channel. Thank you!

[@WeirdExplorer]

Thanks!

[@ashliecameron492]

My 8yo autistic son found this video last night trying to find out what crabapples were and he watched the whole thing. He was so invested. I want to thank you. You’ve given him a script for how to try new foods and he asked if we could make videos of him trying new fruits. This has been a daily struggle with him trying to get him to eat enough and not be so afraid of trying new foods. I know your target audience isn’t 8yo autistic kids, but thank you for sharing your fruit tasting adventures. It’s inspired my kiddo to branch out and he’s tried strawberry and raspberry tonight ❤

[@DH-xw6jp]

I hope your little guy's tasting adventures go well and broaden his list of favorites.

[@gr8handsftl]

I have a plant of galangal, turmeric, and a few others. They all grow really well down here in Florida. One of the gingers that you didn't mention is the red button ginger (Costus woodsonii) which produces a red cone/bracts which elongate with age and produces orange to yellow firm flowers which are edible. They taste citrus-like and we tend to put them in salads for a citrusy crunch. The fruit is white with black seeds and kind of fibrous, never thought of trying to eat them though, I do know that the leaves are edible too, but haven't tried the leaves yet either. Maybe I'll try some today lol Never tried eating my torch ginger, I have the dark red variety. Next spring when it blooms, I'm going to have to try it.

[@WeirdExplorer]

You're right! I have an older video of me eating one of those flowers too.. Ah well, maybe for a sequel.

[@TaLeng2023]

Is costus root edible? There don't seem to be much in the roots

[@user-hi3iy9me4e]

I love ginger+chamomile tea at night after dinner. Sometimes I'll even add a bag of lemon balm or peppermint.

[@galaktikai]

I've been watching your channel for a few years now, and I just want you to know how much I love your videos! You describe the experience of each fruit in a way that just can't be replicated. I wish you and yours the best in everything, and thanks for everything you do!

[@WeirdExplorer]

Thank you so much!!

[@commenter4898]

19:52 That looks like _Alpinia zerumbet_ .We have that here in Taiwan (Mandarin name 月桃 yuetao). The seeds were used as a spice in the old days and the leaves can be used to wrap zongzi (rice ball, more commonly using bamboo leaves).

[@Chaotic_Autism]

Vostok is so utterly gorgeous! her eyes and the lil paw action was so cute! I wana give her a hug! Give me a hug for her!

[@jeremyknight4608]

haven't watched the whole video yet but Canna indica (aka canna lily) is edible! a little bland and stringy but very starchy but you can make a flour out of it like tapioca or American arrow root! the seeds are sort of spicy dried and ground as well.

[@MrEiht]

I love "my" ginger. It comes from Peru and produces shoots before I have a chance to prepare a tea. Then I put it in soil, it grows massive and happily and two year later I harvest a bit less than I initially planted. So much fun! 😂

[@justinkendall5647]

This was a really fun episode, learned way more about ginger than I ever expected to!

[@edwardwong654]

The cat is very cute. She is the star!

[@Kaotiqua]

"Grains of paradise" was a very popular medieval spice. Galangal that you showed at the start is actually the plant that produces it. I find it to be very floral, and slightly peppery.

[@Meshuggah333]

That soap ginger is wild!

[@TheLittlestViking]

Oh, I love cardamom! I might try growing some now. I've had ginger growing on my windowsill for the last couple years, from a piece I bought at the local grocery store. Rhizomes are pretty hardy and gingers are super easy to propagate from them if you can find a piece that isn't dried, jarred, or frozen.

[@KEvronista]

cat on lap = instant like vote KEvron

[@natashapowell9445]

My daughter and I love to eat crystallized ginger. This was so interesting, thank you for covering one of my favorites!

[@kellmac]

I love when cats do the single-paw knead.

[@yfrontsguy]

Fabulous episode! One of your best yet !! I was in Marseille last weekend & though ot you with all the exotic spices for sale. I bought black cardamom & grains of paradise amongst other things. I grow Zingiber mioga also. A real fun family of tastes !

[@ryanford2965]

I love how your cat was like I'm just gonna make one biscuit lol so cute!

[@MSDKLZE]

@Weird Explorer - Your kitty is just precious. The single-paw buiscuit-making is so adorable.

[@cristea_mihaela]

I love your cat so much! I consider her to be the mascot of the channel.

[@WeirdExplorer]

according to her I'm the mascot and she's the star

[@hollyoswald7808]

@@WeirdExplorer. Of course! The only point of view a cat would take…

[@chaimkatz2002]

Does this guy ever produce a bad video? Like ever? Every single video I've ever seen on this channel has been fascinating and enlightening.

[@fruitaddict]

Great video as usual ! All our best wishes from New Caledonia and hope to see you guys again anytime soon. Audrey & Vincent

[@ferretyluv]

You haven’t evacuated yet? The country’s in civil war!

[@e.k.3820]

Love the content for years now, this one a bit special!! The Masusa in 'Sranan' (Surinamese mix language) or Masoesa ('oe' is dutch like the 'u' in spanish) from Suriname is pronounced similar to Yakuza..Masusa. This also goes for the 'a' at the end. We have a lot of gingers even grown and wild in Suriname.

[@damianl2108]

When making the dough for Jamaican patties or any dough requiring a rich golden color, fresh turmeric is the best. Just sliced it thin, dehydrated then ground to a powder. Gave a very unique color and amazing flavor, the store bought powdered stuff doesn't compare.

[@sunnyquinn3888]

Love the kitty making invisible biscuits! 😻

[@alaskansummertime]

I used to do landscaping on Big Island, Hawaii. People would put this in their yards necessitating me and my boss taking multiples of loads of the cut stuff to the greenwaste in a single day. I can still smell it years later. It penetrates your senses like nothing else. I still chew some on a regular basis to combat intestinal parasites and other ailments.

[@AraceaeFanatics]

We grow various types of bitter gingers on our property. We have shampoo/pinecone ginger, 2 different curcuma, and 2 different variegated gingers. Some have gorgeous foliage, all have very interesting inflorescences, and one or two do actually fruit.

[@Somedude20282]

You're one of my people!! Some people look at me like I have a second head when I say somethong smells like x tastes or tastes like x smells

[@tetukotuko5431]

That mystery ginger is called Topah or Petiti i think. It grows underground. Its often sold already peeled from the outer skin, because theyre covered in dirt . Its a seasonal fruit in borneo

[@dxsmachina]

I had to look it up to be sure, but the one rhizome type tuber I love to eat is the Sunchoke. Which is in the same family as a sunflower. It's really crunchy raw with a mild flavor, but when you cook it the flavor changes and it smells and tastes like artichokes! It can make you gassy though so eat them in moderation at first.

[@mutantryeff]

I ferment a puree of Hawaiian peppers (both sweet and spicy in flavor), fresh ginger, fresh turmeric, fresh garlic, and salt. I use this as a condiment - especially on hard-boiled eggs.

[@WeirdExplorer]

More ginger episodes: Black Cardamom: kzbin.info/www/bejne/f6rJh3iVn5Wqj9E Myoga ginger: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iWOZmpWGg8ZobMk Madagascar Wild Ginger: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jpC0YaWfgraZrJo Mystery ginger from Borneo: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gYC7e2uefqaLo9k Torch Ginger: kzbin.info/www/bejne/j3fIoaKQhK9mhcU

[@KenFullman]

Your cat looks like a twin of my own cat. When we got him as a kitten, one of the names I suggested for him was "ginger" It was rejected by the rest of the family because he wasn't ginger. Although the cat we had before him was totally black, and of course I named him "spot"

[@yapz6721]

Make a series of videos about fruits from all 28 states and 8 union territories of India you will get tons of subscribers, Indians love watching foreigners reacting to anything Indian also put (Indian fruit blank in the subtitle)

[@RosannaPatruno]

For the galangal, i used to make an infusion out of it ( when i have some ) and it’s milder

[@kurniawantjandra590]

In Indonesia we mainly use 4 gingers for cooking: ginger, turmeric, galangal, and sand ginger (kencur). You should try sand ginger, its my favorite, but u should try it in dishes or at least in a sambal (chili dip).

[@سلامكيفك-ز9خ]

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[@dannym2359]

I knew exactly how you would react to the galangal, I did the same thing. I sliced my up very thin then dehydrated it and turned it into a powder for nasi goreng. I also like to put it in my rice cooker to give my rice a nice little kick of flavor sometimes.

[@MazTheMeh16]

13:37 theres an elderflower+lemon fanta that tastes like lemon soap smells and its great

[@SeeNyuOG]

I could imagine theres plenty ginger but dude. So much variety. I've just became a big ginger fan

[@roberttandy7701]

I really like this format. So much information on one subject. Cool and surprising.

[@WeirdExplorer]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@juls7403]

24:50 the sap from shampoo ginger is used as shampoo/soap. Either by blending up the cones or "milking" by gently squeazing the sap out of them. "Milking", if done correctly, allows the cone to refill with more liquid. I don't think I've ever heard of anyone using it like a loofah lol

[@Dystopix]

The licorice-flavored seeds would probably be a hit in Scandinavia, send a boatload or two to start with. 🚢

[@benibear2995]

I was immediately "I want to taste that!".. what is wrong with us scandis? :D

[@ankhi3585]

Seeing as it's used in Suriname you'd think we (Dutch) would have found a use for it considering the shared passion for licorice.

[@benibear2995]

@meisteremm absolutely (absinthe not as much maybe), and many of the liquorice/aniseed-y digestifs etc too :)

[@hollyrotnes8743]

Gammeldansk. Which means old Danish is the prototype

[@bluesteno64]

This is awesome! All the research and effort put into your videos has made them a staple of mine for YEARS!!! I really hope we get more of these longer videos in the future.

[@WeirdExplorer]

That's the goal! Sunday's video will be kinda like this one

[@bluesteno64]

@@WeirdExplorer Thanks man! I’ll keep an eye out for it today

[@kimnoir]

Discovered your channel recently. Love your videos -- it's like streaming an unknown archive or log I never knew I needed! I never knew tumeric was a member of the ginger family but they do look similar (although looks can be deceiving)!

[@kimnoir]

Just realized I started and ended two sentences with "I never knew". Your cat needs to make more cameos in videos by the way. I can recognize their talent.

[@nidalshehahadeh7485]

Galangal Alpinia galanga is something that I have growing in my garden, I purchase it fresh from an Asian market in Fort Myers Florida, in total I have seven different Ginger species that I know of, I kept my eyes open in different grocery stores that I visited and each time I saw ginger I read the label on it to see where does it come from, some came from Costa Rica others from Peru others from China and every single time it looks a little different, I bought a whole variety of them planted them and I'm yet to see the flowers coming out of them, I think I'll probably have about 10 maybe 11 different varieties of ginger, they grow in South Florida like weeds as long as they have water, one species that I have my heart on unfortunately it is not available in the US which is the black ginger, while back Ginger listed on eBay will say the source off the product is the US and when it comes to you you'll find out that it comes out of Thailand or Sri Lanka or somewhere else in other words the seller was in the US and the product was somewhere else, in other words they had you commit a felony by importing plant species to the US without knowing, whenever I buy plant species from the internet I ask them where's the plant coming from before I order it, if anyone have black ginger please leave a comment.

[@lairdcummings9092]

SO *MUCH* I didn't know about Ginger!

[@nidalshehahadeh7485]

If you live in Southwest Florida from let's say North Port to Naples then be advised that the Edison & Ford Winter Estates have an extensive variety of ginger plants for sale, at least this is what I was told I called them once and they were out of stock because it was winter so you might want to call before you go there .

[@e.a.hallucigenia1128]

Thanks loads! I grow about 8 different types of ginger in my Neotropical garden. Sure wish I could find more to grow.

[@HowlettHill]

I appreciate the work and time you have put into this video. Excellent and so, so interesting.

[@hetmankp]

It's worth mentioning that the stalks of some species are also used. For example in Sabah, Borneo, a species of ginger named tuhau is used to make a kind of fresh relish (also named tuhau).

[@siggyincr7447]

Yeah, I'm gonna say that anyone claiming that you can eat any part from any member of the Zingiberaceae family is nuts. It's a huge family and bound to have some members that have developed chemical defenses that are potent against mammals too. Keep in mind that most of what we humans enjoy as spices are chemical compounds that plants evolved to be toxic to something. So be careful when trying things that aren't commonly consumed in their native range. Human's have had a tendency to get very adventurous with trying to eat everything that grows around us. So if a culture hasn't embraced something as a food/spice that was common in their environment, odds are it's because it's either not good for you or not pleasant. I have torch ginger in my garden and might have to give it a try.

[@alveolate]

there's also always the possibility of some novel allergic reaction... im guessing these guys had access to medical help if they needed it?

[@shockingdocumentaries4255]

Your cat is beautiful. I love the eyes.

[@lylelaney8270]

In Malaysia, the mango ginger is called Temu Pauh. Pauh is a type of mango but in Malaysia the word mango is referring to a specific type of mango.

[@munirahbakar4123]

Thanks! I was wondering if those two are the same because I've only ever heard about Temu Pauh. I know that fingerroot are called Temu Kunci in Malaysia.

[@myriamvalentin4]

I learned a ton about ginger thanks to you. Thank you so much for your research and explanation! The flowers, the seeds, the fruit....... amazing.

[@DevynCairns]

Myoga is really nice. I really love it

[@FarmGearInnovators]

Ginger with a mango-like flavor? 🥭🌶 Mind blown! Loved the comparison between turmeric, galangal, and finger root. Definitely hitting the Asian market for more of these!

[@JTMusicbox]

This video is more ginger than Giligan’s Island!

[@SarahDibie]

I'd love to hear your stories

[@ivy_47]

Gingers are pretty closely related to bananas and now I'm really seeing it with these flowers and fruits. Cool stuff!

[@ralphmueller3725]

Just want to say thank you. You've opened my eyes to some awesome stuff!! been seeking out and learning to grow a number of things you've covered! keep up the great work!

[@TheAmmu21]

We have mango ginger in south india as well.😊

[@wolfgangkranek376]

Interesting. I looked it up: Curcuma amada

[@WeirdExplorer]

That looks like it!

[@ameythegooner]

Quite common in Maharashtra state as well. Very commonly used for making pickles.

[@TaLeng2023]

​@@ameythegoonerdoes it smell like mango?

[@gohansesshomaru8400]

​​@@TaLeng2023 smells faintly like raw mango, tastes almost exactly like a raw mango with zero sourness, which is different from ripe mangoes. The taste can be described as similar to resin, pine needles or turpentine. The closest thing I've tasted similar to raw mango and mango ginger is 'dog fennel'.(I once tasted only a tiny bit of dog fennel as it's generally considered unsafe for regular human consumption)

[@flamethrowex]

I'm fortunate enough to be in an area of Australia where the other blue ginger you mentioned is native to (Brisbane area), and there's a native plants nursery/conservation group that sells the plants and others as seedlings. I have two in pots and am trying to figure out how to get them to thrive now.

[@johndodge8999]

I grow many of these in Florida.

[@TheeIntrepidTaurayon]

OMG that kitty is sassy and adorable 😍

[@jeil5676]

Only a ginger can call another ginger, a ginger.

[@Mikee512]

jinja pls

[@jeil5676]

@@Mikee512 : )

[@gonnabeayogi1445]

😂 love it. gonna sing that in my head all night now x

[@TurtleKittyJess]

Facinating, I had no idea there were so many species of ginger let alone how much of the plant is edible!

[@gatomaru]

Great episode! More kitty please!

[@elizabethjames213]

Hello I watch your channel all the time and really appreciate your help with us knowing all the various species of the plant World. I hope you will visit us in Jamaica soon. Nuff nuff love❤

[@WeirdExplorer]

I got to visit Jamaica in 2018. It is a beautiful country with so many kind and generous people. There's a playlist on the channel somewhere with all the fruit I found 🙂

[@hardshengpizi]

The variegated ginger is Alpinia zerumbet

[@uelld.8371]

A bit info on the 'torch ginger flower,' it's actually the flower of the 'galangal' ginger. It usually has two flower, male which is the one used where it grow from the roots/ground, and the female that produce the fruit -(not sure the edibility)- where it is formed at the end of the stems of the plant.

[@janeteholmes]

I’m off to Borneo in a few weeks, so I’ll look for it while I’m searching for every kind of durian I can find! Thx! The flowers I mean.

[@WeirdExplorer]

enjoy your trip!

[@lakebafondren5868]

Thanks for the information. And it was nice to see your eyes without the glasses. YOU have a really pretty eye color. I never knew there were so many kinds of ginger.

[@janosagoston123]

The mystery ginger is Alpinia zerumbet 'Variegata' (Variegated shell ginger).

[@draganjagodic4056]

Very interesting. Always good to learn something new.