Home›Dishes›Main Ingredient›GingerIngredientGingerSpices, Herbs and SeasoningsReference and ClassificationVerifiedGinger, the rhizome of Zingiber officinale, has flavored food and medicine across South and Southeast Asia for millennia and today is grown throughout the tropics. Unusually for a major food plant, ginger is not known to exist anywhere in a true wild state; every ginger plant in cultivation has been propagated asexually from rhizome cuttings for so long that its wild ancestor, and therefore the specific place and time it was first domesticated, cannot be identified with confidence. Competing scholarly accounts place its likely origin in India or in Maritime Southeast Asia among Austronesian-speaking peoples, who are thought to have carried it with them as they spread across the region, but the long history of people moving ginger along with themselves has obscured whatever original wild population it came from.FactsGingerConnectionsIn the Other AtlasesSourcesOpen Questions (1 open question)Comments (0)Reader Challenges (0)FactsDisputedOrigin RegionScholarly debateIndia or Maritime Southeast Asia (competing scholarly accounts) 2Ginger has no known wild population; every cultivated plant descends from millennia of vegetative propagation, so the region of first domestication cannot be fixed to one candidate from the surviving evidence. Two accounts compete in the literature: South Asia (India) and Maritime Southeast Asia among Austronesian-speaking peoples.Earliest Documented Use, From (Year)Well-attested3050 BCE 1Sourced to the subject's own accountThis marks the well-documented Austronesian expansion transport date (c. 5,000 BP), not the moment of original domestication in Maritime Southeast Asia, which is not independently dated in the source.GingerFilter Results18 entriesDish FamilyAllEast Asian Rice and Grain Dishes (1)European Breads and Pastries (2)Fermented and Pickled Vegetables (1)North American Roasted, Grilled and Fried Dishes (1)South Asian Rice and Grain Dishes (1)South Asian Roasted, Grilled and Fried Dishes (1)South Asian Stews, Braises and Sauced Dishes (5)Southeast Asian Soups (2)Southeast Asian Stews, Braises and Sauced Dishes (3)Sub-Saharan African Stews, Braises and Sauced Dishes (1)CuisineAllBengali Cuisine (2)Chinese Cuisine (1)Dutch Cuisine (1)Ethiopian Cuisine (1)Filipino Cuisine (2)German Cuisine (1)Hawaiian Cuisine (1)Indian Cuisine (6)Indonesian Cuisine (2)Korean Cuisine (1)Malaysian Cuisine (3)Pakistani Cuisine (2)Sri Lankan Cuisine (1)Era (Origin Period)All-1000 (1)1241 (1)1300 (1)1947 (1)1955 (1)1960 (1)TraditionAllFermentation (1)Ramadan and Eid Feasting Traditions (1)Spice Trade Traditions (1)Format/TypeAllEast Asian Rice and Grain Dishes (1)European Breads and Pastries (2)Fermented and Pickled Vegetables (1)North American Roasted, Grilled and Fried Dishes (1)South Asian Rice and Grain Dishes (1)South Asian Roasted, Grilled and Fried Dishes (1)South Asian Stews, Braises and Sauced Dishes (5)Southeast Asian Soups (2)Southeast Asian Stews, Braises and Sauced Dishes (3)Sub-Saharan African Stews, Braises and Sauced Dishes (1)CourseAllDessert (1)Main Course (1)Side Dish (1)Soup (3)Dietary SuitabilityAllContains Dairy or Egg (1)Contains Fish or Shellfish (1)Contains Meat or Poultry (4)Origin RegionAllAfrica (1)Bengal (1)China (1)Denmark (1)East Africa (1)Eritrea (1)Ethiopia (1)Germany (1)Hawaii (1)India (3)Indonesia (2)Kashmir (1)Malaysia (1)Nepal (1)Netherlands (2)Philippines (2)Punjab (1)The Indian Subcontinent (1)The Korean Peninsula (1)Show ResultsBrowseCompareSelect all 18Ayam pansuhGingerBicol ExpressGingerChana MasalaGingerChicken ChettinadGingerCongeeGingerDal BhatGingerDhansakGingerDoro WatGingerDum AlooGingerGoto (food)GingerGulaiGingerHuli-huli chickenGingerKimchiGingerKruidnotenGingerPfeffernüsseGingerPindangGingerShuktoGingerTandoori ChickenGingerConnectionsOpen QuestionsDoes a wild ancestor of cultivated ginger survive, and where was it first domesticated?, Open Questions Well-attested Used ByAyam pansuh, Dishes Well-attested Source Ayam pansuh (Wikipedia)Bicol Express, Dishes Well-attested Source Bicol express (Wikipedia)Chana Masala, Dishes Well-attested Source Chana Masala (Wikipedia)tier 3Chicken Chettinad, Dishes Well-attested Source Chicken Chettinad (Wikipedia)Chinese Cuisine, Cuisines Well-attested Source Larousse Gastronomiquetier 1Congee, Dishes Well-attested Dal Bhat, Dishes Well-attested Source Dal bhat (Wikipedia)Dhansak, Dishes Well-attested Source Dhansak - WikipediaDoro Wat, Dishes Well-attested Source The Oxford Companion to FoodAlan Davidsontier 1Dum Aloo, Dishes Well-attested Source Wikipedia: Dum alooGinger Ale, Drinks Well-attested Ginger Beer, Drinks Well-attested Goto (food), Dishes Well-attested Source Goto (food) (Wikipedia)Gulai, Dishes Well-attested Source Gulai (Wikipedia)Huli-huli chicken, Dishes Well-attested Source Huli-huli chicken (Wikipedia)Kimchi, Dishes Well-attested Source The Oxford Companion to FoodAlan Davidsontier 1Kruidnoten, Dishes Well-attested Source Kruidnoten (Wikipedia)Masala Chai, Drinks Well-attested Fresh ginger is one of the base spices in the standard masala blend.Source Making Tea in India: Chai, Capitalism, Culture (Philip Lutgendorf, Thesis Eleven, 2012)Philip Lutgendorftier 1Pfeffernüsse, Dishes Well-attested Source Pfeffernusse (Wikipedia)Pindang, Dishes Well-attested Source Pindang (Wikipedia)Shukto, Dishes Well-attested Source Shukto - WikipediaTandoori Chicken, Dishes Well-attested Source The Oxford Companion to FoodAlan Davidsontier 1Thai Cuisine, Cuisines Well-attested Source Larousse Gastronomiquetier 1West African Cuisine, Cuisines Well-attested Source Larousse Gastronomiquetier 1In the Other AtlasesOriginated InAsiaAlso in Geography Atlas: where this subject originated.Source The Oxford Companion to FoodAlan Davidsontier 1IndiaAlso in Geography Atlas: where this subject originated.Source The Oxford Companion to FoodAlan Davidsontier 1Maritime Southeast AsiaAlso in Geography Atlas: where this subject originated.Source The Oxford Companion to FoodAlan Davidsontier 1Southeast AsiaAlso in Geography Atlas: where this subject originated.Source The Oxford Companion to FoodAlan Davidsontier 1Sources1. Ginger (Wikipedia)tier 3WikipediaLead sectionQuote, Lead sectionIt was transported with them throughout the Indo-Pacific during the Austronesian expansion (c. 5,000 BP), reaching as far as Hawaii.View the Source2. The Oxford Companion to Foodtier 1Alan Davidson, Oxford University Press, 2014entry: GingerUsed By: KimchiUsed By: Doro WatUsed By: Tandoori ChickenLarousse Gastronomiquetier 1Hamlyn, 2009Used By: Chinese Cuisine, entry: GingerUsed By: West African Cuisine, entry: GingerUsed By: Thai Cuisine, entry: GingerMaking Tea in India: Chai, Capitalism, Culture (Philip Lutgendorf, Thesis Eleven, 2012)tier 1Philip Lutgendorf, Thesis Eleven (SAGE Publications), 2012Used By: Masala ChaiView the SourceChana Masala (Wikipedia)tier 3WikipediaUsed By: Chana Masala, Infobox main_ingredient field: Chickpeas, onion, tomatoes, coriander, garlic, chiles, ginger, oil, spicesView the SourceBicol express (Wikipedia)Used By: Bicol Express, Infobox main_ingredient field: Long chilies, coconut milk, shrimp paste or stockfish, onion, pork, garlic, gingerView the SourceDhansak - WikipediaUsed By: Dhansak, Infobox main_ingredient field: Lentils, vegetables, spices, cumin seeds, ginger, garlic, mutton, either gourd or pumpkinView the SourceWikipedia: Dum alooUsed By: Dum Aloo, Infobox main_ingredient field: Potato, Indian spices, ginger, garlic, onion, herbsView the SourceChicken Chettinad (Wikipedia)Used By: Chicken Chettinad, Infobox main_ingredient field: Chicken, kalpasi, yogurt, cream, tomato, onion, garlic, ginger, chili pepper, black pepper, coconutView the SourcePfeffernusse (Wikipedia)Used By: Pfeffernüsse, Infobox main_ingredient field: cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, black pepper, mace, anise, sugar, butter, eggs, flourView the SourceGoto (food) (Wikipedia)Used By: Goto (food), Infobox main_ingredient field: glutinous rice, ginger, beef tripe, toasted garlic, scallions, black pepper, chicharonView the SourceKruidnoten (Wikipedia)Used By: Kruidnoten, Infobox main_ingredient field: Flour, Brown sugar, Butter, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger, Cloves, Cardamom, NutmegView the SourceShukto - WikipediaUsed By: Shukto, Infobox food/dish main_ingredient fieldView the SourceDal bhat (Wikipedia)Used By: Dal Bhat, Infobox food/dish main_ingredient fieldView the SourceGulai (Wikipedia)Used By: Gulai, Infobox food/dish main_ingredient fieldView the SourceAyam pansuh (Wikipedia)Used By: Ayam pansuh, Infobox food/dish main_ingredient fieldView the SourcePindang (Wikipedia)Used By: Pindang, infobox main_ingredient fieldQuote, Used By: Pindang, infobox main_ingredient fieldsalt-boiled fish, i.e. fish cooked in salt and spices including tamarind juice, garlic, shallot, ginger, turmeric, lemongrass, galangal, chili pepper, Indonesian bayleaf, citrus leaf, shrimp paste, and palm sugar.View the SourceHuli-huli chicken (Wikipedia)Used By: Huli-huli chicken, infobox main_ingredient fieldQuote, Used By: Huli-huli chicken, infobox main_ingredient fieldchicken, pineapple, ginger, soy sauceView the SourceOpen Questions (1 open question)Does a wild ancestor of cultivated ginger survive, and where was it first domesticated?Zingiber officinale is not known to exist in a wild state anywhere; every cultivated plant has been propagated vegetatively from rhizome cuttings, generation after generation, for long enough that no confirmed wild population has ever been identified. Competing accounts place the likely point of origin in India or in Maritime Southeast Asia among Austronesian-speaking peoples, without resolving the question.What would resolve this Discovery and genetic confirmation of a true wild Zingiber officinale population, or comparative genomic work establishing which existing wild Zingiber species is its closest relative and where that species is native, either of which would narrow the search for where and when domestication took place.Botany and plant genomics, specifically phylogenetic comparison across wild Zingiber species.Alan Davidson, The Oxford Companion to FoodComments (0)No comments yet. Be the first to share a thought.Sign in to join the discussion.Reader Challenges (0)No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.