Ginger paste is widely used in savory dishes in the Subcontinent. In Pakistan and the northern parts of India, it is most often added to hot oil, together with (or soon after) garlic paste, early in the cooking process. The easiest way to make ginger paste is with a mortar and a pestle; lacking one, mince the ginger. You can make up a large batch of ginger paste using a mini-chopper or processor and store well sealed in the refrigerator for up to several days, or freeze it in small amounts. Powdered dried ginger is a pungent and hot-tasting spice made from rhizomes that are dried, then ground to a powder and is used mainly in sweet baking. Kerala is a major producer, as is Jamaica.
