O/T Food. Lazy Ginger and Garlic

[fataddick]

I keep a jar of the garlic one in the fridge for emergencies but Waitrose pot of ready peeled garlic cloves is first choice option.

 

[brakespear]

Not had the ginger one but the garlic one just tastes of the vinegar its preserved in. If the smell of garlic on your fingers puts you off I believe lemon juice can also help.

 

[clapham_gull]

I can understand ginger as its a bitch to peel, but even then it takes no more than 3 mins to peel and chop.

Garlic! are you being serious! less than 45 secs.

Tip about ginger it's VERY easy to peel.......... as long you don't use something sharp like er.. knife or peeler.

Because of it's fiberous nature and the direction of the fibres a sharp instrument will attempt to cut through them. Making the job twice as hard as it needs to be.

Try with the very blunt back of a knife (or the handle of a teaspoon) and you will be absolutely amazed how easy the skin scrapes off. I gently scrape with a blunt table knife.

You won't believe it until you try. The sharper the blade the harder the job.

 

[Spider]

Ginger is so cheap I don't bother trying to 'peel' it. Just buy a decent size bit (which will probably set you back about 15p) and use a knife to cut all the skin off. It's a bit wasteful, but it saves hours!

 

[Nibble]

I don't really understand why a jar should be used in an emergency. Just keep garlic and ginger in the cupboard instead of a jar surely? The garlic jars use dried garlic. The drying process strips the flavour and nutrition from the natural product. Plus they soak it in white wine vinegar. And garlic bulbs are very cheap.

 

[BHAZiggy]

Real thing it is then, just can't stand the smell on my fingers for hours later even after scrubbing.

Disposable gloves solves that problem.

 

[Brighton TID]

I don't really understand why a jar should be used in an emergency. Just keep garlic and ginger in the cupboard instead of a jar surely? The garlic jars use dried garlic. The drying process strips the flavour and nutrition from the natural product. Plus they soak it in white wine vinegar. And garlic bulbs are very cheap.

Yep this. I can't understand why anyone would consider anything but the proper thing.

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

Unless I've missed something here, what's stopping you peeling a whole garlic bulb, blending it and putting it in Olive oil in a jar?

 

[Lush]

Unless I've missed something here, what's stopping you peeling a whole garlic bulb, blending it and putting it in Olive oil in a jar?

Wastes valuable time you could be spending posting on NSC?

 

[the beating monkey]

Anyone used these and are they any good compared to using fresh stuff.

I hate preparing garlic and ginger but love it in cooking so would be ideal if any good.

Ta.

Chefs tip, freeze the whole ginger then simply grate it on the finest side, doesnt matter about the skin it just disappears and its really quick
Garlic - crush it with a little salt, you can buy a pestle and mortle quite cheaply

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

Wastes valuable time you could be spending posting on NSC?

Ah ha, so I did miss something?!

 

[Guinness Boy]

Chefs tip, freeze the whole ginger then simply grate it on the finest side, doesnt matter about the skin it just disappears and its really quick
Garlic - crush it with a little salt, you can buy a pestle and mortle quite cheaply

Pastes and tubes don't taste close to the same as fresh and fresh is cheap. You don't even need a pestle and mortar to crush garlic. Sprinkle with salt and push down with the flat of a big knife then quickly mash with the other side. Ginger is cheap as - like someone else said peel with a knife and don't worry about waste so much. After a good old chop wash hands thoroughly. Job done.

 

[Kumquat]

Real thing it is then, just can't stand the smell on my fingers for hours later even after scrubbing.

I feel the same. Although the smell is usually shit and cheese in my case.

 

[Cian]

Can't understand the garlic at all. Use the ginger though, and have considered the chilli paste also as I cook a lot but with fairly limited time.

 

[clapham_gull]

Worth pointing out that just because something isn't fresh doesn't make it inferior.

The dried is often better and more suitable in certain situations. Pasta, ginger, chillies etc...

Some herbs don't work like that but you'll never get the sweetness and intensity of dried oregano or mint from the fresh.

I also use garlic powder quite often too.

 

[hitony]

I use it, it's great and is exactly the same as the real thing. [MENTION=1518]empire[/MENTION] is wrong.

I agree, I have used them many times and they are excellent.

 

[Woodchip]

So easy and cheap to get fresh. 17p for a knob of ginger - bargain.

Are blonds more expensive?

 

[Notters]

How long before they go broke again?

Soon hopefully.

Cant see why anyone has a problem preparing ginger. Just grate it straight into the pan.peeling achieves nothing.

 

[El Presidente]

I use the frozen chopped ginger and garlic from Waitrose, to save buying a whole bulb of garlic (or worse if shop only has 3 packs)/knob of ginger when you only need a little. And so I always have it to hand. The frozen herbs are quite useful too for the same reason.

The frozen lime leaves from Waitrose are a godsend for any thai dishes too.

 

[Titus]

knob of ginger

snigger