How do I make good quality dry ginger (sonth) and what recovery to expect?

To make sonth (dry ginger), harvest mature ginger after about eight months when it is fibrous and high in dry matter, not the young tender stage used for fresh sale. Wash, then either scrape or peel the skin carefully, soak or treat as per the local method to improve colour, and sun dry until the rhizomes are hard and rattle, which takes many days. Dry recovery from fresh ginger is only a portion of the fresh weight, since most of fresh ginger is water, so expect a large weight reduction. Good sonth is dry, clean, light coloured and free of mould. Confirm the recommended curing and drying method and the dry recovery for your variety with your KVK or the Spices Board.