Ginger Garlic Paste

I was in a dilemma whether I should post this or not. I mean ginger garlic paste is ginger garlic paste. What instructions are needed for that? But then I think of all the doubts I get when I think of some new cuisine ......so maybe somebody or the other will find this post useful.

This is one of the essentials in my fridge. I usually prepare enough to last atleast two weeks. I remember when I was working, I used to recruit my cousins to peel ginger and garlic when they came for a weekend stay in my house and make enough to last three months atleast. I used to keep one batch in the fridger and the rest in the freezer.

There are two types of ginger and garlic that I know of. Both are available in India. One variety , the ginger is stringy and the rhizhomes are small, the thickness rarely more than finger size. The garlic also are small cloves, the other variety which is more readily available in the middle east, both are large. The ginge can be as thick as a small potato, it is more juicy.The garlic has nice big fat cloves, it has been referred to as malai poondu in some tamil TV programme I watched long back. The smaller variety has a more intense garlicky smell. So if you use the smaller variety of garlic, the ratio proportion is Ginger to Garlic 2:1. Since I use both of the larger varieties, I use equal quantities of ginger and garlic by volume, measuring after it has been chopped to small pieces.

Take care to cut the ginger against the grain, it will be easier to grind in the mixie, you will not end up with long fibres winding around the blade centre.

Ginger Garlic Chopped

When grinding use the dry grinder blade the one with the blades almost flat it the base of the blender. There will be no need to add additional water. Be a little patient and scrape the sides with a spoon. The water in the ginger will be sufficient to grind to a fine paste. Store in a airtight bottle in the fridge.

Dont be alarmed if the paste turns a light green in colour. I found that there was nothing wrong with the taste and no after effects as of date in my house. It did not always turn green for me maybe once in ten times. I was puzzled and for the first few times I threw away the paste, a great sacrifice on my part because I was working at a demanding job, my dd was toddler and I had to sacrifice my precious time to peel that damned garlic and ginger. Then I was presented with fait accompli and had to use the green coloured paste. Nothing happened and no percievable taste difference. So after that I stopped throwing it out and used it up. I came to the conclusion that it had something to do with the ginger and nothing to do with my hygenic practices.

Here endeth my discourse on ginger garlic paste.

I cant believe I had so much to say about ginger garlic paste, and I did not even mention anything about the medicinal benefits..... Well that will come another time.