I have thrown out more ginger than I care to admit. It sits in the crisper, I forget about it, and three weeks later it is soft and fuzzy. Then I buy more and do it again.

The Problem With the Fridge Drawer

Ginger likes cool and dry. The crisper drawer is cool but humid, and that is what turns the root soft and eventually moldy. A sealed bag is worse, because any moisture inside has nowhere to go.

What Works Better

Three options, depending on how fast you use it.

• Short term: wrap the unpeeled root in a paper towel, drop it in a paper bag, and keep it in the door of the fridge. Paper breathes. I get two to three weeks this way.
• Long term: freeze it whole. No peeling, no chopping. When you need some, grate it frozen with a microplane. The texture is not right for stir fries but it is perfect for tea and marinades.
• Easiest of all: peel a whole hand of ginger, blitz it in a food processor, and freeze it flat in a zip bag. Break off a chunk whenever you cook.

How to Tell It Is Done

If it bends without snapping, toss it. If there is any fuzz, toss it. A wrinkly but firm root is still fine, just a little dry. Cut off the dry end and use the rest.

I keep a bag of frozen grated ginger now and I have not bought a sad shriveled root in months. It takes about ten minutes once and then you are set for a while.