View source for Ginger milk curd

{{Short description|Chinese dessert}}
{{more citations needed|date=March 2013}}
{{Infobox food
| name             = Ginger milk curd
| image            = Ginger Milk Pudding.jpg
| image_size       = 250px
| caption          = 
| alternate_name   = Ginger-juice milk curd, ginger milk pudding, ginger milk
| country          = [[China]]
| region           = [[Shunde]]
| creator          = 
| course           = [[Dessert]]
| type             = [[Pastry]]
| served           = 
| main_ingredient  = [[Ginger]], [[milk]], [[sugar]]
| variations       = 
| calories         = 
| other            = 
}}
{{Chinese
|t=[[wikt:薑|薑]][[wikt:汁|汁]][[wikt:撞|撞]][[wikt:奶|奶]]
|s=[[wikt:姜|姜]][[wikt:汁|汁]][[wikt:撞|撞]][[wikt:奶|奶]]
|j=goeng1 zap1 zong6 naai5
|l=Ginger collides with milk
}}

'''Ginger milk curd''', also known as '''ginger-juice milk curd''', '''ginger milk pudding''' or simply '''ginger milk''', is a [[Chinese cuisine|Chinese]] hot [[dessert]] originated in [[Shawan Ancient Town]], [[Panyu District]], [[Guangzhou]] in the [[Guangdong Province]]<ref name="chinad">{{cite web |title=Ginger milk pudding |url=http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/sports/guangzhoufood/2010-11/08/content_11517732.htm |website=www.chinadaily.com.cn |access-date=29 October 2020}}</ref><ref name="thats">{{cite web |last1=Zhang |first1=Tristin |title=Explore 800 Years of History in Guangzhou's Shawan Ancient Town |url=https://www.thatsmags.com/guangzhou/post/20053/one-day-in-the-800-years-old-shawan-ancient-town |website=That's Online |access-date=29 October 2020 |language=en |date=14 August 2017}}</ref> in [[northern and southern China|southern]] [[China]]. The main ingredients are [[ginger]], [[milk]], and [[sugar]].<ref name="tastehongkong">{{cite web
|url=http://www.tastehongkong.com/recipes/ginger-milk-pudding-a-natural-custard/
|title=Ginger Milk Pudding, a Natural Custard
|work=tastehongkong.com
|date=29 March 2011
|access-date=13 August 2012
|archive-date=25 August 2012
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120825030818/http://www.tastehongkong.com/recipes/ginger-milk-pudding-a-natural-custard/
|url-status=dead
}}</ref> [[domestic buffalo|Water buffalo]] milk is used in the original recipe.

==Underlying biochemical principle==
The most important part of the ginger in ginger milk curd is the ginger protease [[zingipain]]. This substance with molecular weight of 31&nbsp;kDa is found with three forms of isoelectric point values around 5.58, 5.40, and 5.22, respectively. The three forms have very similar biochemical behavior, where the optimal proteolytic activity is {{convert|40-60|C}} and maximum clotting activity at {{convert|70|C}}. However, clotting decreases significantly at temperatures of 75 °C (167 °F) or above.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Huang|first=X.W.|last2=Chen|first2=L.J.|last3=Luo|first3=Y.B.|last4=Guo|first4=H.Y.|last5=Ren|first5=F.Z.|title=Erratum to "Purification, characterization, and milk coagulating properties of ginger proteases" (J. Dairy Sci. 94:2259–2269)|journal=Journal of Dairy Science|volume=94|issue=8|pages=4242|doi=10.3168/jds.2011-94-8-4242|year=2011|doi-access=free}}</ref>

Milk is a substance consisting mainly of [[Milk fat globule membrane|milk fat globules]] and [[Casein|casein micelles]] in a continuous phase of water, sugar, whey protein and minerals. Casein micelles consist of mainly α(s1)-casein, α(s2)-casein, β-casein, and κ-casein, where hydrophobic α and β-casein are in the inner sub-micelle and hydrophilic κ-casein is in the outer part.

When the milk starts curdling, the curds are small, but as coagulation increases, curd size increases until the milk ends up with a tofu-like structure.<ref>Zeng J-chao (2008) Discussion on the Mechanism of Curd with Ginger Juice. Thesis</ref> When the curdling occurs, the ginger protease cuts open the κ-casein so that the hydrophilic C-terminus and the hydrophobic N-terminus separate. This disrupts the stability of the casein micelle. In the [[hydrophobic effect]], the hydrophobic casein coagulates.<ref>Zhang P (1999) Study on Milk Clotting of Ginger juice . China Dairy Industry 27:17–19.</ref>

==See also==
*[[Douhua]]
*[[Junket (dessert)]]
* [[List of Chinese desserts]]
* [[List of desserts]]
* {{portal-inline|Food}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.flickr.com/search/?q=%E8%96%91%E6%B1%81%E6%92%9E%E5%A5%B6&w=all Ginger milk curd photos]

{{Cantonese cuisine}}
{{Puddings}}

[[Category:Chinese desserts]]
[[Category:Cantonese desserts]]
[[Category:Curd]]
[[Category:Macanese desserts]]
[[Category:Puddings]]
[[Category:Ginger desserts]]
[[Category:Milk desserts]]


{{China-dessert-stub}}