How To Grate Fresh Ginger Root - Then Try This Quick Chicken Recipe: Ginger Chicken Kebabs (2024)

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Updated on August 21, 2011

How To Grate Fresh Ginger Root - Then Try This Quick Chicken Recipe: Ginger Chicken Kebabs (1)

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How To Grate Fresh Ginger Root - Then Try This Quick Chicken Recipe: Ginger Chicken Kebabs (2)

Ginger is one of the world's most important and commonly used spices but its wild origins are not clear. Believed by some to be native to the south of India, ginger was known to the Romans - but it wasn't until the spice routes opened up trade during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries that it became familiar on the tables of England.

Nowadays, of course, the pale, knobbly roots of fresh ginger are widely available in supermarkets year-round and should be purchased a small quantity at a time, whenever possible. You will never need a great deal of fresh ginger and it will not keep indefinitely (see Selection and Storage Tips below right and watch the video below).

Selection and Storage Tips

• The age of the ginger when harvested has a distinct bearing on flavor. Young or 'early harvest' ginger has a light, thin, tan-colored skin with pinkish tips, and is juicier, crisper and milder than more mature ginger.

• Ginger that has a late harvesting has thicker and dark-tan skin, with hard, quite fibrous flesh and a far stronger flavor.

• Don't purchase ginger that is soft, shows signs of withering (indicating dryness and old age) or mould.

• Ginger will keep, if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for several weeks.

Culinary Uses

Fresh ginger is associated with a number of different cuisines - Chinese, Indian and Caribbean, to name but a few - where it is used to add a fragrant spiciness to all sorts of meat, poultry, fish and vegetable dishes.

How To Grate Fresh Ginger Root

Unless you freeze it before use (must try this idea myself!) or have very young ginger, it will be necessary to peel it first - and a small, sharp paring knife is ideal for this.

You will need:

• A chopping board or similar clean work surface

• A grater

• Some fresh ginger root

Now, gripping the grater with one hand and the fresh ginger root with the other over the chopping board or similar, draw the ginger in a rapid upward and downward or backward and forward motion (depending on the type of grater being used) across the finest hole of the surface of the grater. Continue until you have enough grated ginger.

Purpose-made ginger graters, which are generally either wooden or ceramic, can also be purchased from Asian food stores or kitchenware shops.

Porcelain ginger graters (also known as Japanese graters) or bamboo ginger graters are flat graters with a series of small teeth facing both upward and downward so that when ginger is drawn across the surface, it will be finely grated, leaving the coarse, fibrous strands behind. They also help to make grating fresh garlic and fresh turmeric an absolute breeze.

Microplanes have graters with tiny razor-like edges that make quick and easy tasks of both grating and cleaning. You'll find them in all good kitchenware and department stores.

An Innovative Idea - Freezing Ginger

Now that you know how to grate fresh ginger root, you might like to test your new-found skill and try the following chicken recipe. It's very quick to make as it requires very little preparation and cooking time however, you will need to set some extra time aside for marinating the chicken and soaking the bamboo skewers. I usually complete step 1. and soak the skewers the night before I intend to cook it. That way, preparing the next night's dinner becomes a very simple matter indeed.

When prepared to the quantities specified, this dish will comfortably serve 2-3 people but if you need to feed more, just double (or even triple!) the quantity of the ingredients.

How To Grate Fresh Ginger Root - Then Try This Quick Chicken Recipe: Ginger Chicken Kebabs (5)

Ginger Chicken Kebabs

Soak 6 bamboo skewers in cold water for at least an hour before use to prevent them scorching and splintering.

You will need:

• 10 ounces (300g) chicken breast fillets, chopped coarsely

• 1 tablespoon green ginger wine

• 1 tablespoon salt-reduced soy sauce

• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil

• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

• 2 teaspoons brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

• Sliced green onions to serve (optional)

Method:

1. Combine chicken and remaining ingredients in large bowl. Cover; refrigerate several hours or overnight.

2. Preheat grill. Thread chicken onto skewers; reserve marinade. Cook under grill, brushing with marinade, until chicken is tender.

3. Serve kebabs sprinkled with sliced green onions, if desired.

Notes: Chicken is best if allowed to marinate overnight. Serve with steamed rice and your choice of mixed steamed vegetables (I usually use broccoli, carrot and beans) and either halved cherry or roma tomatoes.

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How To Grate Fresh Ginger Root - Then Try This Quick Chicken Recipe: Ginger Chicken Kebabs (2024)

FAQs

How do you grate fresh ginger root? ›

Use a vegetable peeler or sharp knife to remove the papery skin. While the skin is dry and rough, it's thin, so once you start peeling, you'll quickly reveal the flesh. After you've peeled the ginger, grate it with a handheld grater or on the small holes on a cheese grater. (Ginger is very fibrous.

Should ginger be peeled before grating? ›

If the ginger is young and the skin is very fine or if it is going to be finely chopped or grated, you can skip the peeling step. If the skin is thicker or you're chopping the ginger more coarsely and don't want the skin to be included, then it's best to peel the ginger beforehand.

Should fresh ginger be minced or grated? ›

Grating is actually the most traditional way to prepare ginger for a recipe. To grate and to mince produce very similar results, but not identical. Grating usually produces a more pulpy ingredient, while minced ginger consists of tiny, but distinctive little cubes. Grated fresh ginger is more intense in flavor.

What is the easiest way to peel ginger root? ›

Instead of trying to shove a peeler in and around the nooks and crannies of a knob of ginger, gently press the edge of a spoon against the skin and pull down. The skin will come right off, without bringing along too much of the rhizome itself. It's as easy — and safe — as that.

Is it OK to eat raw ginger root? ›

This magical root contains properties known as gingerols and shogaols. These properties aid in the body's biological activities. They catalyze the process of metabolism and work to reduce cholesterol levels. You can add crushed ginger root to your meals, eat it raw or take ginger water first thing in the morning.

What is the best way to eat fresh ginger root? ›

Pop a slice of fresh, raw ginger in your mouth to help soothe a tummy ache and indigestion. Steep chopped raw ginger in boiling water to make an immune-boosting, throat-soothing tea. Cook fresh ginger by mincing it up and tossing it into stir-fries, soups, and baked treats.

What not to take with ginger root? ›

Possible Interactions
  • Blood-thinning medications: Ginger may increase the risk of bleeding. ...
  • Diabetes medications: Ginger may lower blood sugar. ...
  • High blood pressure medications: Ginger may lower blood pressure, raising the risk of low blood pressure or irregular heartbeat.

Is too much ginger bad for you? ›

How much ginger should you take daily? Ginger is safe to eat daily, but experts recommend limiting yourself to 3 to 4 grams a day — stick to 1 gram daily if you're pregnant. Taking more than 6 grams of ginger a day has been proven to cause gastrointestinal issues such as reflux, heartburn and diarrhea.

Should ginger be refrigerated? ›

It doesn't have to be, but if you want to keep it fresh for as long as possible, it's best to store ginger in the fridge. Stored on your countertop in a cool, dark place, a hunk of unpeeled ginger will last about 10 days, but stored in the refrigerator, it could last more than a month.

Should ginger be grated or crushed? ›

Grating Ginger:

The easiest way to grate ginger is to keep a knob of ginger wrapped in plastic in your freezer. When you need some grated ginger, pull it out of the freezer, scrape away the peel (if you want, it's not really necessary) of the area you want to grate, and grate the ginger with a microplane grater.

How to tell if ginger is bad? ›

Other visual cues that indicate it's time to toss the ginger include blemishes or mold on the exterior or cut ends, or a discolored interior (dark yellow, brown, gray cast) when sliced. Texture: Fresh ginger is firm, so if it's soft or mushy to the touch, it's a tell-tale sign that the ginger has gone bad.

How do you clean a grater after grating ginger? ›

When you clean it, rinse it under warm water and then run a wet sponge along the grating surface, moving toward the handle (moving away from the handle will cause bits of sponge to get caught in the teeth).

Does ginger need to be refrigerated? ›

Room temperature: Unpeeled and uncut ginger root will last up to 3 weeks stored on the counter at room temperature. Refrigerator: When properly wrapped and stored in the crisper drawer, unpeeled ginger can last for up to 1 month in the fridge. Peeled ginger will last 2 to 3 weeks in the refrigerator.

Can you grate ginger on a box grater? ›

Grating Ginger with a Box Grater

Most box graters have small, punched-out holes designed for zesting that can also be used for ginger. These do a good job, but a lot of ginger gets caught between the holes, and the grater can be a bit awkward to clean. Quicker and neater is using the smallest fine holes on the grater.

Do you need to peel ginger before juicing? ›

The first question is whether ginger needs to be peeled before juicing and actually this one is pretty easy to answer. The skin isn't tough, in fact it's far thinner and more delicate than the root itself, so a juicer that can cope with ginger can easily discard the skin and there's no need to peel it first.

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