DESCRIPTION

Although it is often referred to as gingerroot, ginger is actually an underground
rhizome. It comes from a perennial tropical plant that is native to India or China,
or perhaps both—its origins are unclear. However, it is clear that it is one of the
oldest spices, and its use is widespread. Its botanical name comes from the
Sanskrit word for ginger, singabera, which also means “shaped like a horn.”
China and India are the biggest producers today, but ginger is also grown in the
West Indies, Africa, Hawaii, and northern Australia.