Grated ginger... really?

[blaze]

Can you really grate ginger? I end up with mush and liquid. Minced ginger I can do. But how in the heck do you really grate ginger?

[cbayer]

1. I use the same small grater I use for parmesan cheese. it usually works pretty well

and avoids having any chunks of ginger, which can be distracting.

:hi:

[canetoad]

2. If you get it really fresh

It's much crisper, not dry and woody. In Australia ginger is harvested around March. You only need to wash this fresh stuff, not peel it.

I put a batch through the grating wheel of food processor, pack into jars with either vinegar, sherry or ginger wine covering it.

[grasswire]

3. freeze the root

I keep it in the freezer. Take it out, grate some, put it back in the freezer. It works very well.

[Retrograde]

4. Microplane

That's the only thing I've found that works; my regular grater also gave me mush. I've heard that covering the grater with plastic wrap and grating on top of that works, but when I tried it I got mush with plastic in it. I don't freeze my ginger, but I do keep it refrigerated.

[lizerdbits]

5. +1 for microplane grater

Love it.

[hippywife]

8. +2 for the microplane.

Works very well for me, too. :hi:

[kurtzapril4]

6. I buy fresh ginger

I use my old-timey box greater. Not on the fine grate side. I use the bigger grate side, and I don't peel it, either. Works like a charm!

[Warpy]

7. Mush is good. It keeps people from getting chunks in their food

and having their tastebuds overwhelmed and their eyes start to water, something you want to avoid when feeding guests.

I usually slice it and pound it a few times in a small bowl with the handle of my cleaver. Then I mince it up with the blade. The combination releases all the flavor and prevents the dinner party disaster of ginger chunks.

[blaze]

9. Thanks for all the responses!

The first time around, I used my old box grater, but on the finest grate... second time around, I tried the grater I use for parm, like this: http://www.amazon.com/Rotary-Cheese-Grater-Stainless-Steel/dp/B002U78Y5E/ref=sr_1_30?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1301851914&sr=1-30 and had to dig the "mush" out with the back end of my 1/4 tsp.

On the micro planers... fine? coarse? extra coarse?

In the end, though, I may just stick with what warpy said. Don't know why, but there's something very calming or meditative about mincing to me.

Thanks again everybody! :hi: