Basic Use and Preparation

Ginger can be consumed raw, pickled, preserved in syrup, or crystallized, or cooked by a variety of methods. It is also dried and ground to a powder. Ginger is typically grated or minced for marinades, dressings, and beverages, and can be very finely grated to a paste on a Japanese ceramic or metal grater or a Microplane or other fine-rasp grater. It can also be sliced, cut into matchsticks, or chopped for simmering, stir-frying, braising, or steeping.

To prepare mature ginger, cut or break off only the amount you will need for a recipe. Trim any nodules of their rough ends. Compared to galangal, the skin of ginger is very thin, and if the ginger is quite fresh, with taut smooth skin that shines, I scrape away only the thicker skin between the nodules and leave the remainder. If the ginger is firm but the skin looks a bit rough, then I use a swivel-bladed peeler, paring knife, or the edge of a spoon to scrape or peel the skin. For slices, cut the ginger thinly across the grain. For matchsticks, stack the slices and cut into long strips. To mince, stack the slices, cut long strips, and then cut crosswise into tiny pieces.