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  Ginger and garlic are medicinal herbs. They are widely used in traditional medicine for the treatment of various ailments. They are also used in cooking and they add flavour and a distinctive taste to food. When a recipe calls for ginger and garlic, having pre-minced ginger and garlic saves time.
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Our gist today is on how to make ginger and garlic paste at home. It’s pretty easy and I can assure you that it’ll be far healthier than the commercially produced ones you prefer. Even though these herbs are as close as bread and butter, I  like to make and store them separately as not all cooking calls for both herbs. That said, salt, vegetable oil, turmeric can be used to preserve homemade ginger and garlic paste. But this paste can be made without preservatives too and it will remain fresh if it’s stored properly.

Requirements

4 Cups of Chopped Ginger 1/3 Cup of Oil 5 Bulbs of Garlic 4 Tablespoons of Oil Blender/Grinder/Grater/Mortar and Pestle

How To Prepare

When making a large quantity of garlic paste, the first step is to soak the garlic in cold water for at least thirty minutes. Soaking makes the peels come off easily. Once you soak the garlic cloves, set them aside for later use then start scrubbing the ginger roots. After scrubbing, rinse and pat them dry.
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Peeling comes next but it’s optional. I like peeling the skin off my ginger. If you are like me, then peel with a knife, spoon or a vegetable peeler. But if you’re team “don’t peel,” no problem. Just make sure that the skin on your ginger is tender. After peeling, chop the ginger into small bits then grate, blend, grind or pound. I prefer to blend because it’s far easier than the other options. Blending strong root-like ginger requires a lubricant; since it’s not advisable to add water to your ginger paste, it’s best to use oil. So, add your ginger and oil to the blender. Now, if you want a mixed ginger and garlic paste, leave off blending till your garlic is ready. Otherwise, blend the ginger till you have a smooth puree. Scoop the paste into an airtight container and close the lid. Place the container in the refrigerator. With the ginger paste ready, go back to the garlic cloves and peel; their skin will come off easily now. Pat them dry. Afterwards, grate, blend, pound or grind the garlic into a paste. Remember to add oil if you’re blending. When the garlic paste is ready, the next step is storage. Scoop it into a clean, dry container. If you grated or pounded your garlic, this is the time to add oil to it. Cover the lid and refrigerate. Ginger and garlic paste will stay up to two months if properly refrigerated. Featured Image Source: Organic Facts
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This article was first published on 25th August 2021

udevi-obiamaka-angela

Udevi, Obiamaka Angela holds a Master of Arts degree in History & International Studies. She's a freelance writer with a passion for food and healthy living. She can be contacted through her email address, obiudevi@yahoo.com


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