How to peel, grate and chop ginger (2024)

FAQs

How to peel, grate and chop ginger? ›

Use a vegetable peeler or sharp knife to remove the papery skin. While the skin is dry and rough, it's thin, so once you start peeling, you'll quickly reveal the flesh. After you've peeled the ginger, grate it with a handheld grater or on the small holes on a cheese grater. (Ginger is very fibrous.

The easiest way to grate ginger is to keep a knob of ginger wrapped in plastic in your freezer. When you need some grated ginger, pull it out of the freezer, scrape away the peel (if you want, it's not really necessary) of the area you want to grate, and grate the ginger with a microplane grater.

"Ginger peel is completely safe to consume," Dana said. "I often slice off coins of unpeeled ginger and steep in hot water for the tastiest ginger tea. The peel may contain more fiber [than the rest of the ginger root]."

If the ginger is young and the skin is very fine or if it is going to be finely chopped or grated, you can skip the peeling step. If the skin is thicker or you're chopping the ginger more coarsely and don't want the skin to be included, then it's best to peel the ginger beforehand.

The Best If You Want a Multi-Tasker: Microplane Zester-Grater. This is the workhorse I've been using for more than a decade. The tiny rectangular metal teeth are super sharp and cut through the ginger root's fibers, rather than separating the flesh and juice from them as with a ceramic grater.

Grating Ginger with a Microplane

A Microplane, a.k.a. rasp grater, is one of the quickest ways to grate ginger. Just rub the peeled ginger over its fine serrated holes and you'll have a mound of pulverized ginger in seconds.

Instead of trying to shove a peeler in and around the nooks and crannies of a knob of ginger, gently press the edge of a spoon against the skin and pull down. The skin will come right off, without bringing along too much of the rhizome itself. It's as easy — and safe — as that.

Using a spoon to peel ginger is the best option because it is quick, efficient, and minimizes waste. A peeler or a paring knife will likely peel off the layer right under the skin, which is the most flavorful part of the root, while a dull spoon will easily lift the skin off.

Place a fork against a cutting board with tines facing up. Rub the peeled ginger across the fork tines and repeat this motion until you have the desired amount of grated ginger. To chop ginger, swap the fork for a sharp paring knife.

Grating is actually the most traditional way to prepare ginger for a recipe. To grate and to mince produce very similar results, but not identical. Grating usually produces a more pulpy ingredient, while minced ginger consists of tiny, but distinctive little cubes. Grated fresh ginger is more intense in flavor.

How long does grated ginger last in the fridge? ›

When refrigerated in a dry, sealable bag with the air squeezed out, unpeeled ginger will last a month; peeled or grated ginger, however, will only last two to three weeks. To stretch ginger's freshness the longest, freezing is best: both unpeeled and peeled ginger will last up to six months in the freezer.

Room temperature: Unpeeled and uncut ginger root will last up to 3 weeks stored on the counter at room temperature. Refrigerator: When properly wrapped and stored in the crisper drawer, unpeeled ginger can last for up to 1 month in the fridge. Peeled ginger will last 2 to 3 weeks in the refrigerator.

A ratio of 1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger per 1 cup of water. Chopping the ginger into small pieces (or grating it) maximizes the potency of the tea.