How To Mince Ginger With A Grater (And What To Do If You Don't Have One)

Ginger root gives a truly unique spiciness to a crispy glazed tofu bowl or Moscow mule cocktail. This powerhouse plant can leave you with a sharp, bitter bite if there's a fat chunk of it in your food. A little bit goes a long way, which is why it's best to break it down into sections you can mince.

Before whittling away at your ginger, you'll want to wash off the dirt and peel the skin off using the spoon method. (That entails scraping the skin with the edge of the spoon's bowl.) Chop the root into pieces that are large enough for you to hold safely on one end. The opposite end should have a flat side, which you will press into the grater by quickly rubbing it up and down. Freezing the root can also give it more stability in your hand while you work.

Grated ginger is pulpy rather than uniform, and there are a couple different tools you can use to get this effect. A ceramic grater is a compact plate with a ribbed center designed to grate ginger, daikon, and garlic. These discs are only a couple of inches in diameter and they're dishwasher safe. The biggest benefit is that they're easy to handle without worrying about cutting your fingers. You can find an option like the BonCera All-in-one 4pcs Premium Ceramic Garlic Grater Set for under $15 on Amazon. However, a handheld microplane or the zesting side of a box grater can do the job as well.

The most efficient way to mince ginger without a grater is using a knife with a straight edge. Mincing is the process of breaking food into a bunch of tiny squares, and we can get to this shape by starting with coins. Push the knife down and forward, cutting from the front to the back of the vegetable. Breaking the ginger's oblong shape down into a bunch of coins gives you flat surfaces, which is what you need for mincing.

Repeat the down and forward motion with the knife and slice the coins vertically into strips, referred to as a julienne. Gather these strips and cut horizontally across the lines from front to back. The tip of the knife will rest on the cutting board while you lift and pull down the back half of the blade like a lever. Keep your fingers safe by curling them under your knuckles as you work, and don't be afraid to go slow at first. By taking the root from coins to cubes, you'll end up with perfect minced ginger that can last for months with proper storage.