GGS: The Secret Heart of 2 Billion Asian Dinners (Spicy Lettuce Burritos Included)

Garlic, ginger and scallions are the Asian mirepoix, the Far Eastern alternative to carrots, celery and onions, the combo that flavors both the wanton and the broth, the short ribs and the stir fry. It’s the characteristic Chinese/Korean/Japanese cooked-meat flavoring that you’ve known your whole life but possibly never placed. Along with soy sauce, it’s what grounds an otherwise arbitrary list of ingredients.