How to Mince Garlic & Ginger?

That's how I peel ginger, and for garlic, I just squeeze it a little between my fingers and thumb, and that usually loosens the peel.

I don't think I'd call what he's doing to that garlic as mincing, though - there are still some pretty big pieces in there. I follow the teachings of Mr. Pepin with regard to garlic:

View: https://youtu.be/1y5h1pDHhzs


I love his little sort of a "mic drop" at the end - a very gentle-but-curt, "This is garlic." 😎
 
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I ue either the Food Processor or the pull-string mincer, since I'm chopping veggies anyway!! Also, I buy garlic that's already peeled. That helps eliminate waste!! Technically, the garlic is MASHED when it is done like that with the kife. :whistling:
 
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I like that food processor, like my old one that I had to replace because the bowl cracked and I couldn't find a replacement.

I replaced it with a Kitchen Aid that's so bad, I do everything I can to avoid using it. :mad:
 
Shermie said:
How to mince ginger and garlic (msn.com)

I never knew this!!!!
All this time, I've been doing it the old way!!! I thought that I'd share this with some of you!!
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This link doesn't work so I don't know which way you are referring to.

I use a microplane. Very quick and easy. Minimal washing up - just rinse microplane under tap.
 
Morning Glory said:
This link doesn't work so I don't know which way you are referring to.

I use a microplane. Very quick and easy. Minimal washing up - just rinse microplane under tap.
Click to expand...
In the video, he uses a spoon to scrape the peel from a knob of ginger.

For the garlic, to peel it, he just taps it a few times with the side of his cleaver to loosen it. I do the same with my chef's knife, or I just squeeze it a bit and it works out the same.

To "mince" it, he smashes it as hard as he can with the side of his cleaver. He does all this very quickly, but if you could see the video, you'd notice there are still big pieces and slivers of garlic, so not minced at all, IMO.

The Pepin video is pretty much the same technique, with a nice explanation along the way, though once he smashes it with his knife, he then minces it as well.

I also use a microplane a lot for garlic, especially if I have a nice fat clove I can get a hold of. Sometimes, though, I just like smacking the crap out of it! :laugh:
 
Yan can Cook,the one at the top. How to mince ginger & garlic (msn.com) in green.
 
Thanks for explaining TastyReuben

TastyReuben said:
In the video, he uses a spoon to scrape the peel from a knob of ginger.
Click to expand...

Don't we all? I've been doing that for 40 years. Sometimes I don't bother. I microplane it skin and all. Same with turmeric root.

TastyReuben said:
For the garlic, to peel it, he just taps it a few times with the side of his cleaver to loosen it. I do the same with my chef's knife, or I just squeeze it a bit and it works out the same.
Click to expand...

Skin slips off if you pop clove in microwave for a few seconds. Otherwise I do as you do. If I'm grating on the microplane there is no need to peel. Just cut in half. Well, that's what I do!

For finely chopping I simply use a cleaver type knife, smash it flat and then chop, going back over it several times until its fine. I rarely do that though since I discovered the microplane, as for most recipes it really won't make a difference and the microplane is faster.
 
Oh.I also buy the minced ginger in a jar. The work of peeling both items is eliminated, saving time during prep!! :whistling:
 
TastyReuben said:
To "mince" it, he smashes it as hard as he can with the side of his cleaver. He does all this very quickly, but if you could see the video, you'd notice there are still big pieces and slivers of garlic, so not minced at all, IMO.
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What he does in the video has to depend on the consistency of the ginger or garlic. I can't imagine taking a garlic clove and smacking it with the side of a cleaver, and having it end up as properly minced. The garlic might be pulverized, which would make it usable for a stir fry, for example.

But, it seems that the ginger root I buy always has threads running through it, which is why I use a grater on ginger. I've just read up on this, and it seems that more mature ginger has the threads, while freshly harvested ginger doesn't. I will try this technique the next time I buy ginger.

And, I've been using the spoon method to peel the skin from ginger root for many years. He picked a fairly smooth piece of ginger in the video, but that technique is invaluable when you have a really knobby one, since the curve of the spoon gets into all the crevasses.
 
Does anyone have input on the string-pull dicer? My arthritis is spreading to my hands. It looks like a neat little gadget but I'd like to know if it would be usable for those of us with limited dexterity.
 
mjd said:
Does anyone have input on the string-pull dicer? My arthritis is spreading to my hands. It looks like a neat little gadget but I'd like to know if it would be usable for those of us with limited dexterity.
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I like it! Works for me!! You just place the Blades & food in the container,put on the cover, pull the string & let it go. Keep on doing this until whatever you're processing is at the consistency that you like. It's fun & fast! I think that you'll like it!! :whistling:
 
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