CHALLENGE #41: GINGER - GARLIC & GINGER PASTE

[moetushie]

Save money! Improve your curries! Make your own garlic and ginger paste!

There's no recipe, just take an amount of roughly chopped fresh ginger (you don't have to peel it if you don't want to -- just wash thoroughly -- it's extra fiber, it's fine), and the same amount of fresh, peeled garlic cloves into a food processor (or robust blender) with just enough water to lubricate things and let it rip, until you have a moderately thick paste. You can also make this in a mortar and pestle (like my grandma used to do) -- you'd definitely tone your arms with this method. I commend you.

Anyway, I usually go for 1/2 cup of each with 1-2 tbsp water to begin with. It keeps in the fridge for a couple of weeks. If you don't think you'll be able to use it up in that time, it also freezes well. You can throw it in soups or curries, as you like.

Ways to use garlic-ginger paste:

- As mentioned above, in curries. I usually throw a tablespoon or two in when sauteing onions. Garlic, ginger and onions is basically the Indian culinary trinity, after all.
- Add toasted spices in it for an instant curry paste. Cumin's good. Coriander. Black pepper. Cinnamon. Cardamon. Whatever strikes your fancy.
- Thicken and flavor soups. I like to put a dab in my miso soups, or in dal.
- Makes a great addition to a marinade.
- Combined with honey, makes a powerful facial cleaner. No, I am ...fully kidding. Though I've an aunt who drinks ginger and hot lemon water along with breakfast and swears by it. I've had it and it is certainly .... cleansing is a good way to describe it. Uh.

Anyway, hope this was at least mildly helpful! You can, of course, find premade garlic-ginger paste at your local Indian grocery, but why buy when you can make it yourself, with ingredients you can recognize?

Comments

[antisocialite_forum]

There's some garlic and ginger in the kitchen that needs to be used up. I might try this.

- Kevin

[moetushie]

Good luck! You can also swap out the water with vinegar if your ingredients need extending.

[kore]

YUM, this sounds great.

[moetushie]

It really improves your cooking! (Although I'd be careful not to add it directly to hot oil, the ginger tends to explode on contact. Not that I speak from experience or anything like that. >__>)

[missdiane]

I cheated yesterday and bought a tube of ginger paste. However, making a nice blend with a good amount of cumin (LOVE that spice) and garlic would be good on some tofu...hmmm

[moetushie]

Sounds great! The main thing is to have it, right? :)

[miss_s_b]

This is such a useful thing! Thank you!

[moetushie]

No problem!