[Hank]

I'm out of fresh so what do you guys thing?  Ground seems a whole lot different to me but I haven't used it much to understand how it will be when mixed with other ingredients and cooked.  I"m making sambal chicken skewers so there is lots of flavor going on and and I can probably leave it out.  Lots of different opinions online.  Thanks all.

 

[flipflopgirl]

I make a ton of spice cakes and the ones written without ginger get it added anyway.
You could prolly leave it out but may be able to tell just because the dish in your mind may wonder what is missing.
If it is fairly fresh use half the amt called for in your recipe....you may still miss that slight spicy note that ginger brings to the party but don't be tempted to add more.
The dish will just taste like you added too much of something.
Drop a mild chile in and pull it out after a bit of cooking time.

mimi

 

[brianshaw]

I'm lucky that I can get to a market selling ginger within 5 minutes if I run out. I generally keep a spare hand in the freezer to make sure that never happens. But I've substituted dry ginger for fresh. Not the same but better than nothing. Just make sure the dried ginger isn't old and tasteless. Can't give a proportion though... To taste.

 

[butzy]

Yes, sub with ginger powder.

For the amount: go by taste. You can use quite a bit.

It will not taste the same, but it will still taste good.

I've had to do it plenty times, especially cooking Indonesian food.

Years ago fresh ginger, galangal etc were hard to come by in Holland, so we used the dried (powdered) version. We even had to do this with lemon grass.

I assume you don't have fresh galangal either, otherwise you could use that.

It's more peppery, but a savoury dish can easily handle that.

 

[pete]

As others have said, yes you can substitute but it won't taste quite the same.  I would start out with just a bit tasting and adding as you need to.