Ginger and garlic paste is a very important ingredient in Indian cooking. You can make it in advance and refrigerate for even a month. You can make it in smaller quantities also. There are other ingredients which you can add in the ginger and garlic paste, like corrainder leaves, cloves any whole spices you like. This will be helpful in making chicken gravies or any Indian gravies as there will be flavour in it and it gives the extra taste and flavour. If you want, you can avoid the whole spices.
When you blend ginger and garlic paste, you can see that after a few days the colour of ginger and garlic paste changes, but no need to worry. If you keep for a longer time its colour changes. So always make it in smaller quantities. This is just to save time and cook the food sooner, other wise you will be busy scrapping ginger and garlic. even people who are working and having kids can make it in advance, when you are free.
You can even buy from shops, but personally I was not satisfied and I felt it lacked flavour. Moreover you cannot adjust the ratio of ginger vs garlic to what you want.
Home made is always good. I have added few spices according to my taste, you can add star-anise, black cardamom, etc.
I have taken equal quantities of ginger and garlic, but if you want you can take more of ginger in quantity and reduce the quantity of garlic or vice versa according to your taste preference. I use this for making curries, biryani and other dishes except in Chinese recipes.
Ingredients
- Ginger (chopped) – 300 gms
- Garlic (chopped roughly) – 300 gms
- Salt - as required (3 to 4 tsp)
- Water - 50 ml, if required
Whole spices:
- Cloves- 1 tsp
- Green cardamoms – 10
- Cinnamon stick – 5 to 6 (1 inch pieces)
Method
- Peel the skin of garlic and wash it and keep it aside.
- Scrap the ginger and wash it and chop roughly.
- Use a blender or food processor to grind. Add all the ingredients in batches with little water and grind.
- Add whole spices in it and grind. Grind in batches. While grinding ginger, add water if required - only little water.
- Otherwise, just mix all and grind in smaller quantities. Grind to a smooth paste. Make sure you add salt.
- If tiny bits of whole spices is seen, its okay.
- Salt is added to avoid spoiling soon. Even oil can be added to avoid spoiling, but I avoid it.
- After blending into a paste, put this in a jar or bottle with air tight lid.
- Refrigerate it and use whenever required.
- I use it for biryani and even for other curries.
Plain ginger and garlic paste
- You can avoid using the whole spices and make plain ginger and garlic paste.
Notes
- You can use ginger 300 gms and garlic 270 gms. You can grind lesser quantity also like 200 gms, according to usage/taste.
- You can use in smaller quantities and make a paste as much as you require.
- The paste should be thick not thin. Do not add too much water and grind. Use water only to grind if your mixer needs water to grind, otherwise avoid it.
- Be careful while adding salt in curries as salt is already in ginger and garlic paste.
- After usage, immediately refrigerate.
- You can reduce the quantity and grind according to your usuage in your home.
