If you own a garlic press, you already know how much easier it makes your life when you’re in the kitchen. If you like to cook with ginger as well as garlic, you might wonder if your garlic press can be used for ginger, too.
Yes, you can mince ginger in a garlic press. Here’s what you need to know.
Are Garlic Presses Just for Garlic?
Garlic presses can do more than just mince or press your garlic. They can also crush nuts and onions. Depending on the food item you’re working with, you might have to prepare the food before placing it into the press. When you use a garlic press to mince garlic cloves or bulbs, you can crush or even juice the garlic without peeling it first. While some people prefer to peel the garlic anyway, this isn’t necessary.
When it comes to ginger, the rules are a little different. Ginger generally shouldn’t be put into the garlic press as it is. Instead, it’s a good idea to peel it first. This is because ginger “peel” is very thick, and if you put ginger into the garlic mincer with the peel still on it, it could get stuck in the mincer. Nevertheless, peeling the ginger isn’t absolutely necessary. It is simply recommended because it makes the mincing a lot easier.
You’ll also want to cut the ginger up into smaller pieces before you place it in the garlic press. Keep in mind that a garlic press has only a small container for the garlic or ginger to fit in, so depending on how much ginger you need minced, you may have to place a few pieces of ginger at a time into the mincer and do it that way. Placing too many pieces of the unpeeled ginger into your mincer can stop it up and maybe even break it.
A garlic press is a very versatile kitchen gadget. You can mince ginger, garlic, and onions, and you can crush or even juice these foods, depending on the recipe you’re using. You can also use a garlic press for chopping up nuts and small seeds, as well as herbs, chili peppers, and others. If you’re going to create masterpieces in the kitchen, this is one tool you need to have around at all times.
Can Every Garlic Press Work With Ginger?
There are many different types of garlic presses, and some are larger and fancier than others. You should check the user manual when you first get your mincer because not all of these devices can accommodate all types of foods. In some instances, you might be better off using a fine cheese grater instead of a mincer.
That being said, a garlic press is versatile and does a lot of different things, so it’s a great addition to anyone’s kitchen. If you’re going to use your garlic press for ginger, it’s always a good idea to peel the ginger and cut it into small pieces first.