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The sand ginger on my terrace begins to bloom in mid-August. The upturned white flowers with their amethyst throats are like orchids poised on the wide green backdrop of the plant’s sculptural leaves.
Sand ginger in late summer on my Booklyn terrace. Native to forest edges in South and Southeast Asia, it is used fresh in Malaysian and Indonesian cooking traditions.
Vietnamese coriander, Labrador tea, sand ginger and lemon basil. In the United States, sand ginger is cold-hardy in USDA growing zones no lower than 9a.
A bird’s eye view of the new leaves forming.
The first sand ginger leaves in early summer.
Sand ginger is easily divided, even in its growing season. Every two years my sand ginger threatens to outgrow its 10-inch terra cotta pot.
A plate of chopped sand ginger mixed with other soft, fragrant leaves like sweet, Thai and lemon basils, Vietnamese coriander, cilantro, and mint, dressed with a dash of shoyu and some toasted sesame oil, and topped with a couple eight-minute eggs, is a tonic in salad form.
Soused sand ginger cucumbers.
Essentially a quick pickle, this plate of cumbers is very refreshing. • 5 Persian cucumbers, crushed lightly and cut into 1-inch pieces. Leave to macerate for at least 30 minutes and up to a couple of hours.
Soused Sand Ginger Cucumbers
Wax beans with sand ginger soy pickle.
Wax Beans with Sand Ginger Soy Pickle
When farmers markets explode with wax beans in summer I make this warm salad. Sand Ginger Pickle. • 2 tablespoons marinade and leaves from Sand Ginger Pickle. Place these chiffonaded leaves in a clean jar with all the other ingredients.
Add the oil and garlic to the pot and cook over medium-low heat until the garlic begins to turn golden.