Homemade Ginger Paste
Making Homemade Ginger Paste is very easy. You need just two ingredients. Make a big batch, refrigerate for about a week, or freeze for three months.
If you like this recipe, try Tahini Paste, Authentic Thai Green Curry Paste, Asian Red Chili Paste, Golden Paste, and Homemade Custard Powder.
My kitchen cannot do without fresh ginger. From using it to make Masala Chai for breakfast to making curries for lunch or dinner, I need it all day, every day to use in my Indian recipes. While you can prep fresh ginger for every recipe you are making, it makes the workflow quick and easy if it is already prepped.
I buy ginger in bulk, make ginger paste, and freeze it in small ice-cube trays. It comes in very handy while making multiple recipes. Now, making the paste is not rocket science, but I just thought I would share my perspective on it. Read along!
About Ginger Paste
Ginger Paste (Ginger Puree) is a popular culinary ingredient made using fresh ginger roots that have been finely ground into a smooth, aromatic paste.
It adds a distinctively spicy and pungent flavor to various dishes, including soups, stews, curries, stir-fries, and marinades.
Fresh ginger paste is an essential ingredient in Indian cooking and Asian cooking. Although packaged paste is easily available, making it at home has many advantages.
- Homemade ginger paste tastes better than the store-bought ginger paste.
- It is free of artificial colors and preservatives.
- Uses high-quality ingredients.
- It is much more economical than the store-bought one.
Preparing it in advance also saves you much time while cooking everyday meals.
Ingredients
Ginger – To make the paste, you will need fresh ginger roots. Try to get organic ginger. Avoid the ones with black or dried patches.
Indian ginger is much more flavorful than the one in American grocery stores. For the best taste and flavor of your homemade adrak paste, try to source it from an Indian grocery store.
Oil – Use any neutral flavored oil of your choice. Sunflower oil, canola oil, light olive oil, etc work great.
You can also add a little salt while making the paste. Oil and salt acts as natural preservatives making the shlef like of adrak paste higher.
Note – If you plan to use this paste to make tea, lemonade, smoothies, or desserts, replace the oil with water. I mostly make two versions—one with oil and one with water.
How To Make Adrak Ka Paste
Start by washing and peeling 1 lb (500 g) of fresh ginger root.
Peel the ginger using a teaspoon, vegetable peeler, or butter knife (Hold the ginger root in one hand and use the round edge of a teaspoon to scrape away the thin skin).
Cut the peeled ginger into small pieces and add them to a high-speed blender or food processor.
Add 4 tablespoon of any neutral-flavored oil (or water) and blend until the mixture becomes a smooth paste. Scrape the sides of the jar a few times while blending.
Note – If your blender is not high powdered, blend the ginger in batches.
Transfer the paste to a nonreactive, airtight glass container and use as desired.
Pro Tips By Neha
If your blender struggles while blending the ginger pieces, add some more water or oil.
Ginger paste can darken slightly over time. Adding a teaspoon of lemon juice while blending helps to retain its vibrant color and it also add a subtle tang.
Always use a non-reactive glass containers to prevent any flavor change or oxidation. Plastic and metal containers are not advisable.
You can add equal amounts of garlic cloves to this recipe and make homemade ginger garlic paste.
Frequently Asked Questions
I prefer to peel the ginger, as the skin affects the texture and flavor of the paste. However, if you use organic ginger, you can rinse it well and make the paste without peeling it.
Yes, you can use frozen ginger to make the paste. Thaw the ginger before blending or processing it.
Yes, you can make it without a blender. Grate the ginger using a fine grater, and your paste will be ready.
Ginger paste is made by blending or processing raw ginger until smooth. Minced ginger is finely chopped ginger. Ginger paste is more concentrated than minced ginger, so you must use less of it in recipes.
Usage Suggestions
You can use 1 tablespoon of homemade ginger paste in place of 1-inch piece of fresh ginger root.
Storage Suggestions
You can store ginger paste in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
You can also freeze it. I personally like to freeze it in ice cube tray. Once frozen, transfer the cubes to freezer-safe bags and store them for up to 3 months. This way, I can take out one cube, thaw it, and use it in my recipes.
You can also freeze the paste directly in a freezer bag. Add the paste to a freezer bag and spread it thinly in the bag. Now seal the bag and store it in the freezer. This way, you can just break a small frozen piece and use it in your recipes.
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Homemade Ginger Paste Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh ginger roots (500 g)
- 4 tablespoons neutral-flavored cooking oil (or water if you are going to use the paste to make tea, lemonade, smoothies, or desserts)
Instructions
- Start by washing and peeling the ginger roots.
- Peel them using a teaspoon, vegetable peeler, or butter knife (Hold the ginger root in one hand and use the round edge of a teaspoon to scrape away the thin skin).
- Cut the peeled ginger into small round pieces and add them to a blender or food processor.
- Add oil (or water) and blend until the mixture becomes a smooth paste. Scrape the sides of the jar a few times while blending.
- Note – If your blender is not high powdered, then blend the ginger in batches.
- Transfer the paste to an airtight non-reactive container and use as desired.