Learn how to cut ginger simply and quickly. We will cover how to cut, chop, mince and grate this awesome root! When you get this root and its shape is going in all different directions it can be confusing as to where to start.
Video – How to cut ginger
Ingredients
- 1 ginger root
Equipment
- cutting board
- chef knife
- spoon
6 Simple steps for cutting ginger
Wash the ginger
Yes, I said you should wash it. But you say, I am going to peel it before I cut it up so why bother? The reason is you do not know what is on the surface and as you cut the ginger you are going to work what is on the surface onto the slices that you’re going to eat.
So, this is so simple, just run it under some cold water and scrub the root. Use a brush or just get aggressive with your hands, it is up to you.
After you wash go ahead and pat it dry.
Remove the skin
You are going to want to remove the skin of the ginger. It does not have a great flavor and the skin is really easy to remove. I recommend using a spoon. I cover all the steps in my blog post on how to peel ginger.
Slice the ginger
Cut off one of the nobs of the ginger. I like a piece that is about 2 in long.
The first cut we will do is the slice. This is going to give you what they call ginger matchsticks. After you have removed the skin I like to flatten one side of the ginger by taking a nice smooth cut along one of the sides of the nob.
Now simply slice the ginger into slices about an 1/8″ wide. Then flip them over and cut them 1/8″ wide. Now you have perfectly cut little matchsticks.
Chop the ginger
If you are looking for more of a chopped finish with your ginger all you have to do is take the matchstick sliced ginger in the last step and bunch them together into a pile all going in the same direction.
Take your sharp knife and start to chop the bunch to the thickness that you are looking for.
Mince the ginger
Now to mince ginger you want to follow the steps above for chopping and then go ahead and mince. This is really simple. You are just trying to make the ginger smaller than what you have already done.
I like to place my hand on the top of the knife with my palm open toward the tip of the knife. I chop the ginger with the top of the knife and go back and forth until I get the ginger to the mince that I am looking for.
Grate the ginger
Grating ginger is probably the easiest way to get to the smallest size of ginger very quickly. As long as you are not looking for finished little chopped pieces this works great.
Peel back the skin of the ginger with a spoon and grate the ginger just like you would with cheese on a cheese grater.
FAQ
How to store ginger?
You want to store your ginger in the fridge with the peel on. If you have one of those crisping drawers in your fridge it could help it last longer.
If you have already cut your ginger I would store it in an airtight container to make it last the longest possible.
How to tell if ginger is fresh?
When you are looking to purchase ginger at your local market or farmstand you are looking for it to be firm. You want the skin to be intact and you want the ginger to feel dense. If it is flimsy I would pass.
Is ginger healthy for you?
Yes! Ginger is one of those ingredients used all over the world and is considered to have all kinds of health benefits. What I really like about it is its anti-inflammatory properties.
How to Cut Ginger
Ingredients
- 1 Ginger Root
- 1 pinch salt optional
Instructions
- Wash the ginger well and then pat dry.
- Peel the skin with the edge of a spoon.
- Cut into slices about an 1/8th in thick.
- Chop the ginger making matchsticks and then chopping them in the opposite direction.
- Mince the ginger by taking your chopped pieces and rocking your knife back and forth over the ginger making it into smaller pieces.
- Grate the ginger using a grater. Hold the peeled ginger and scrape it against the grater to make your grated ginger