I am all about making weekday cooking easier. Hence I meal prep some ingredients over the weekend which make cooking easier on weekdays and help us eat home cooked healthy food over the week.
Making ginger paste and garlic paste is one of them. This ginger paste comes along quickly and can save an extra step in pretty much every Indian recipe. Another meal prep I do is making onion tomato bhuna masala.
I prefer to make separate ginger and garlic paste, as if some recipes call for only ginger, then I can still use the paste.
Here you can find details about how to peel and cut ginger, and how to store ginger.
What is Ginger Paste?
Like it exactly sounds, a ginger paste is nothing but blended ginger with some oil or water. You can store it in the refrigerator or freezer and use it as your recipe calls for it.
Advantage of Homemade Ginger Paste
Anything homemade has its advantages and when you make from scratch, it will give you such joy and satisfaction while cooking. Also at the same time, you get so many more benefits:
There are absolutely no harmful preservatives It is cheaper than buying it at a store It is more fresh and aromatic Lasts longer than the store-bought ones
Making this ginger paste is super easy and you can whip up a fresh batch within a few minutes if you have clean ginger ready.
How to make Ginger Paste?
Once you have purchased fresh ginger, clean it in running water and wipe with a kitchen towel. You don’t need to make sure that is completely dry unless you are storing it as a whole root. I usually don’t peel the skin as I use organic ginger, but if you removing the skin, you can peel it. After you have cleaned and peeled the ginger, the next step is to chop it into small pieces. Chop the ginger into round discs and add in the blender or food processor. Add some oil while blending. Preferably use avocado or canola oil as they do not add any flavors. Here you can also add a little salt. The oil and salt act as a natural preservative if you want to store the ginger paste in the refrigerator. To make ginger paste in a blender, you might need to use a larger quantity. Blending in small quantities might end up needing more water or you might end up getting a very coarse blend. You can also add equal amounts of garlic to the blender and make a ginger-garlic paste. Note: If you plan to freeze the ginger paste and want to use the ginger paste for your chai too, then skip oil and blend the ginger as is. If needed, add 1-2 tablespoons of water.
How to Store Ginger Paste?
If you are storing ginger paste, make sure you store it in such a way that you can keep it fresh for as long as possible. So, it is a good choice to store in an air-tight container preferably glass. It will keep the paste fresh for at least 1-2 weeks. Top the glass jar with a little oil to help preserve the paste for longer. If you are planning to store this ginger for up to 3-4 months in the freezer, then you can use ice-cube trays with lid or resealable plastic bags to store the paste. You can fill the bag and flatten it. It will help in easier storage and you can break off the needed amount. You can pop the freezed ginger paste from the ice-cube trays, to store in a plastic bag to save space too. Check this post to see how you can store ginger for a long time.
Tips to keep Ginger Paste Fresh for Longer
Follow these tips to keep your homemade ginger paste fresh for a longer time.
Use fresh ginger to make the paste. Store the ginger paste in a completely dry glass jar. Even if it is a little damp, it will make the paste go bad. Take the required amount you need before you start the cooking process Return the jar or bag immediately to the freezer or fridge. Don’t leave it on the counter for a long time. Repeated thawing and freezing will make the paste lose its aroma and freshness.
How to use Ginger Paste in a recipe?
Often, there is a wrong notion that ginger paste can be substituted with the same amount of raw ginger. But, it is not so, blended ginger is more concentrated than raw ginger. The ideal substitute for 1″ inch knob of ginger in a recipe would be about 1 tablespoon of ginger paste. This paste can be used in any Indian or Asian recipes that call for ginger. When using this paste, remember to sauté it as it is raw and sautéing will help get rid of the raw smell. When using frozen ginger paste, there is no need to thaw when cooking. It can directly be added to a curry along with or after sautéing onions.
Make Ginger Chili or Ginger Garlic Paste
I usually keep ginger, garlic, and green chili paste separate as not every recipe calls for all of them. Even if it does, the required amount would vary and some recipes might need only one or two of them. But, if you want you can also add green chili pepper or garlic when making this ginger paste and store them as detailed above. If you use a lot of green chilis in your cooking, check out my green chili post. It will help you to buy, store and use green chillis the right way. I hope you enjoy the convenience of this Ginger Paste in your cooking! Please share any questions you might have as you try this method.
