Ruby Bhogal’s secret ingredient – ginger, in all forms

I should be a ginger spokesperson – I love it in every form. My all-time favourite is stem ginger. It’s underused in baking although not by me. One bulb will be quite zingy, but if you grate or finely dice half a bulb and mix it through a standard vanilla sponge mix, it adds a nice level of warmth. You can use the syrup as a glaze. I have a recipe for a sticky-toffee, self-saucing pudding that has chocolate and stem ginger in the sauce.

I grew up having ground ginger in curries, with my mum adding it to pretty much everything. You can add fresh ginger to curry bases as well, which gives a different flavour profile. I always keep root ginger in the freezer, never in the fridge, so it lasts longer. And whether a dish is sweet or savoury, I’ll always grate it straight in, using a very fine grater. It is a good way of introducing the flavour without it being too “bitty” or risk someone biting into a massive chunk of it – I get it’s not everyone’s cup of tea.

I start every day with ginger and hot water. I’m not a massive tea or coffee lover, so that’s my go-to hot drink.

One Bake Two Ways by Ruby Bhogal (Pavilion, £26) is out 20 June; @rubybhogal