Ginger Products 1 - Biscuits

Although ginger is a common spice specially in Asian region, it has been used for many countries all over the world. However, it is a diverse spice in India and China and it is mainly used in cuisines in Asia. Not only as a spice ginger can be used to make many food products and medicines which give a real value addition to the harvest. Also making ginger related products can be considered as a post harvest management technique. Let's learn more about the most common ginger products in the world and farmers can become a manufacturers by manufacturing any of these products and make some more profit. 

Ginger Biscuits

Ginger Biscuits

Ginger is used in the baking industry back in the fifteenth century. During this time, bread crumbs were used in baking of ginger biscuits and ginger spices and honey were commodities believed to be for the rich community only. Anyway today, ginger biscuits are consumed by people of all the classes and these tasty little ginger biscuits can be made in to any desirable shape.

Ginger biscuit has a complete range of tasty from savory lentil(dal) to sweet. Raw ginger root has a fiery taste. Normally ginger can be purchased as ground ginger, fresh ginger, preserved in syrup, crystallized or pickled. In order to make ginger biscuits, ground ginger is widely used. Some biscuits manufacturers come up with unique biscuit recipes by varying the ginger content and type in the biscuit, which gives unique identity to their business in the industry. The general way of making ginger biscuit is as follows.

How to Make Ginger Biscuits

• Mix two tea spoonful of ginger powder with 50 grams of butter, 100 grams of soft brown sugar, two eggs and four tea spoonfuls of golden syrup at room temperature.

• Mix 500 grams of plain baking flour with two tea spoonfuls of all spices and half two tea spoonful of baking soda (bicarbonate soda).
• mixed all ingredient later and make sure to mix thoroughly until they are completely mixed. Wrap them (or cover) and leave it to rest in a fridge about one hour and thirty minutes.
• Take the dough mixture in the fridge and roll it until the thickness become around 5mm on a flat surface. lightly put some flour on the surface. 
• Cut the rolled dough mixture into the shapes you prefer and place it on a non-stick baking tray and bake in a pre-heated oven for about 8-10 minutes or until the biscuit color becomes golden.

These biscuits can be sold commercially. The biscuit business has huge potential market as they are consumed in almost every household daily. The demand for ginger biscuits is very high in every social class whether in urban areas or rural areas. Adding some innovative, creative and unique packaging, and unique flavors will make high demanded product in the market.

Packet of Ginger Biscuit

Green Gram / Mung Bean Cultivation

Cultivation of green gram or mung bean is been practiced for a long period of time. Farmers from all around the world cultivate the green gram mostly for consumption and also for export purposes. Green gram can be farmed domestic scale or commercial scale. In most remote area of African countries the crop is mainly grown for domestic consumption. Whereas in countries like  India, Indonesia, the green gram is mainly grown as a commercial cultivation which  contributes to the GDP of the country. 

Mung beans  can be grown either as a single crop (mono-cropping) or as an inter-crop (mixed crop). 

Botanical name of Green gram:  Vigna Radiata Family:  Leguminoseae 
Origin:   India and Central Asia

Green gram is a self-pollinated crop. In north Asian region, it is cultivated in both monsoon seasons and summer seasons and in south Asia it is cultivated in one monsoon season (Rabi). 

Use of Green Gram / Mung Beans

• It can be consumed as whole grains. 
• Preparation of curry or a savory dish (South India).
• Green gram plants increase the nitrogen content of the soil.
• Food for Animals. The husk of the seed can be soaked in water and used as cattle feed.
• Mung beans can be used to produce cereals and supplementary nutrient products.

Health Benefits of  Green Gram / Mung Beans

Green gram is an excellent source of high quality protein (25%) having high digestibility.  Due to its easily digestibility patients prefer eating it for quick recovery. It is also a good source of Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid).    

Mung bean is a highly nutritive grain, rich in proteins and ideal source for starchy or cereal based balanced diet. 

Nutritional content of 100g of raw mung been is shown in the below table.

Nutrient	Composition for 100g of Raw Green Gram / Mung Beans
Water	9.1 g
Energy	1453kJ (347kcal)
Protein	23.8 g
Fat	1.1 g
Carbohydrates	62.6 g
Dietary Fiber	16.3 g
Calcium	132.0 mg
Magnesium	189 mg
Phosphorus	367 mg
Iron Vitamin A, Vitamin B6 Zn Essential Amino acids	6.7 mg

Addition to the Raw mung bean, people eat sprouts of mung beans which contain many other benefits than the nutrients.  It reduces the risk of heart deceases, reduce blood sugar levels and improve the digestion activities. Also low carbohydrate content and the total fat content will help you to eat more mung beans without getting fat. 

Sprouts of Green Gram - Healthy Diet 

Suitable Environmental Conditions for Plantation

Green gram is suitable for regions having an annual rainfall of 600-750mm. It requires a little bit hot and warm climate. Green gram can withstand in any adverse weather conditions, particularly in drought areas with little bit of water. However, It grow properly in moisturized soils. Precautions must be taken to prevent water logging and also plant growth will could be slacked due to cloudy weather are harmful for the crop. As mentioned earlier, it can be grown in all the three seasons in the year.  

Soil

Green gram can be grown on many varieties, from sandy loam to black humus. Alkaline soils with high pH range of more than 8.5 are not suitable for green gram cultivation.  Green gram is very sensitive to water logging conditions, therefore a farmer must ensure proper irrigation system.

Land preparations 

The field should be well leveled and the residue from previous farming season must be removed from the soil. Farmers mostly prepare fields in harsh weather conditions where the sun is at its intense move. Therefore giving two or three ploughing using either local plough or harrow is recommended. Each ploughing/harrowing should be followed by leveling and covering the field with hay or polythene to minimize the loss of moisture by evaporation. 

In Asia, most research reveals that the recommended spacing are 45 cm x 10 cm, and  30 cm x 10 cm. Seeds should also be sown at an estimated depth of  6 mm.

Variety selection

There are several types of mung beans such as traditional ones and scientifically developed mung beans. The traditional mung bean has many drawbacks such as late maturing, long harvesting period, low yield, small seeds and susceptible to several diseases. 

Therefore it is recommended to use scientifically developed varieties which anyone can purchase from relevant institutions in your own country. Normally, good plants mature within 60-65 days and give 1000-1200kg yield per hectare. 

It is recommended to treat seeds before sowing by using any kind of organic or chemical fungicide to prevent diseases. Thiram or Captan 2 to 3 g/kg of seeds is used as common fungicide. 

Green Gram / Mung Bean Cultivation - 2 is coming soon...