How to Make Ginger Garlic Paste & How to Store it Correctly

Garlic Ginger Paste is a blend of natural earthy seasonings used to intensify the flavor of any dish. This blend is usually needed for a lot of Asian recipes, particularly in Indian ones.

But for Garlic Ginger Paste to add the right flavor it needs to be correctly made and stored properly. So in this article, I am gonna walk you through how to make Garlic Ginger Paste and how to store it properly.

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How to Make Ginger Garlic Paste

Ingredients:

1 cup Garlic
1 cup Ginger
1/3 cup water
2 tsp salt
2 tsp turmeric
1 small piece of hot pepper * optional

Ginger Garlic Paste Recipe:

Firstly, you need to peel the garlic (this can be made easier if you loosen the cloves of garlic from the bulb and soak it for 1 hour beforehand in water, this makes removing the skin much simpler)
Dry the garlic and trim off the rough edges.
Next, wash the Ginger thoroughly and dry it with a kitchen towel.
Peel the ginger and cut them into smaller pieces as well.
Place all the ingredients in a blender with the water and pulse until smooth.

Remember this paste already contains salt and turmeric so you have to adjust any recipe you will use this paste in accordingly.

Turmeric has antibacterial, anti-fungal, and antiviral properties that help to preserve the paste.

The salt is a natural preservative and helps to also preserve the blend.

I like a bit of spice so I chose to include pepper in my blend but it is your choice if you want to include it.

The ginger can also be blended without removing the skin but it is my personal preference to remove the skin for a velvety smooth paste.

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How Does Garlic Ginger Paste Taste

Raw garlic has a powerful taste, however, when added to any dish, garlic adds a nutty, mild but flavorful taste.

Ginger is hot, zesty yet sweet, and warm. It is spicy with a very slight woody flavor.

The combination of these two adds a punch to any dish. Garlic Ginger Paste can be used in curries, stews, marinating meat and is especially needed in recipes such as Butter Chicken.

Why You Should Make Ginger Garlic Paste from Scratch.

This Rich Paste is best made from scratch because:

Store-bought ginger & garlic paste contains oil which becomes rancid over time. You can make your own by using water instead.
It allows you to control the quality of ingredients in your blend. There are no artificial preservatives if you make your own.
It is very easy to make and store. It just takes roughly 10 minutes of preparation to make this paste.
In my opinion, Homemade Garlic and Ginger paste tends to taste much better, it has a fresh, natural flavor that is sure to brighten any dish.

How to Refrigerate Ginger Garlic Paste

Once blended this paste should be refrigerated until ready for use. Put the paste into a clean airtight food-safe container and place it in the fridge.

Garlic and Ginger Paste is best used within 1 week in the refrigerator. I find that after this period, the flavors begin to fade.

How to Freeze Garlic Ginger Paste

This recipe will be best if used within two months in the freezer. Despite being frozen the paste will retain its fresh intense flavor.

Firstly, spoon the paste into ice cubes and freeze until rock solid.
Next, remove the frozen cubes and place them into ziplock bags.
Write the date it was frozen on the ziplock bag.
Then place the cubes once again into the freezer.
You can use the paste by removing the cube as needed.

If you don’t have ice cube trays try freezing them separately in small batches so that you only have to thaw out the amount needed for a specific recipe.

How to Choose The Right Garlic & Ginger To Make The Best Paste

Garlic

When buying garlic look for loose, healthy, solid bulbs instead of those packaged together. By choosing loose bulbs of garlic you will be able to examine each garlic bulb carefully.

Look for Garlic bulbs that are firm, unblemished, and compact with taut, unbroken skin. A heavy, firm bulb indicates that the garlic will be fresh and flavorful.

Avoid those with soft spots and green shoots. Green Shoots indicate that the garlic is not fresh while soft spots indicate signs of rot.

Ginger

When purchasing ginger, the skin should be shiny, firm, and a beautiful light brown on the outer skin with creamy yellow-colored flesh on the inside.

The skin should also be thin, not thick and tough. It should also have a fragrant spicy smell. Avoid Ginger that shows any sign of mold and that feels soft as this is also a sign of rot.

Benefits of Garlic & Ginger Paste

Garlic Benefits

Garlic is delicious and improves the flavor of any dish.
Garlic is low in calories and rich in vitamin C, vitamin B6, and manganese.
It can help prevent and reduce the symptoms of common illnesses like the flu and common cold.
The Active Compounds in Garlic Can Reduce Blood Pressure.
Garlic Improves Cholesterol Levels, Which May Lower the Risk of Heart Disease.
Garlic Contains Antioxidants That May Help Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia.

Ginger Benefits

Ginger is delicious and adds a unique taste to any dish.
It can reduce your risk of diabetes.
Ginger helps to relieve period pain naturally.
It’s an anti-inflammatory and may help improve cell damage.
It can settle an upset stomach and has many digestive benefits.
The same anti-inflammatory compounds in ginger can also reduce the risk of chronic disease.
It lowers your risk of certain cancers.