Why not use a knife or peeler to peel ginger?
The same goes for a potato peeler.
Grating ginger is best for when you want the root to disappear into a mixture.
These minuscule bits are ideal for baked goods, sauces, or marinades.
Minced or matchsticks of ginger can be best for stir fries, soups, or dumplings.
Consider if youre using the ginger root in a presentational way.
Are you candying it, or slicing thin cross sections of the root with a mandolin?
Then you may want to consider peeling the root in a way that preserves the natural shape.
Use a metal spoon.
Hold the ginger securely in your non-dominant hand.
With the other hand, use firm pressure to scrape against the ginger.
It may take a couple tries to snag the skin, but once you do its easy to continue.
it’s possible for you to scrape toward yourself or away from yourself, its really whatever feels right.
Take care not to carve out chunks of the ginger with the spoon.
Rushing this process will only damage the flavorsome stem, so take your time.
This method is ideal for chopping the root into large chunks, mincing, or matchsticks.
Use a microplane
A microplane is a handy kitchen tool composed of a series of mini-blades.
you might also prepare ginger with a microplane.
Use a microplane to do the same with ginger, except this time the zest is trash.
If you need more or less force, adjust your pressure.
Repeat this, checking frequently, to make your way around the stem.
I find that thinner microplanes are better for getting around the body of the ginger.
Mine has tines curved around the sides as well so I can use them to navigate the smaller areas.
Just grate it all.As I mentioned, ginger skin is really very thin.
Grate the stem, peel and all, on the microplane.
Just brush it off into the trash.
Grated ginger is delicious as an aromatic base for sauces, stir fries, and marinades.
you’ve got the option to also use it like this for batters and icings.
While its effective, I think its only really necessary if youre working at The French Laundry.
Use a green scrubby dish pad to rub off the gingers skin.
Apply pressure and scrub away.
Unfortunately, once the pad gets clogged up with fiber you have to use an area of fresh scrubby.
So this method requires you to rinse off the pad every now and then.
If you are, send a picture, Id love to see it.
