Ginger garlic paste

[BlackForestCake]

I am fed up chopping garlic and ginger for curries and stir fries so I am thinking of getting one of those huge jars of garlic-ginger paste to use instead.

But I’m slightly concerned it might not taste as good because of all the citric acid that's in it as a preservative. Any experiences with this stuff?

I buy frozen chopped ginger. You can also get frozen chopped garlic. So much easier and zero effort.

I've been using squeezy garlic/ginger for years and never noticed any difference in flavour.
The only one slightly different is the jarred chopped garlic as it's in vinegar.

I sit and listen to an audio book and chop a ton of both and freeze it. Works really well. I use it from frozen.

I use the paste all the time in curries and stir fries - I get the jars from the world foods section of Tesco. I honestly haven't noticed a difference compared with using fresh ginger and garlic, although I do usually add loads of other spices/flavourings to my dishes.
It's so convenient to have a jar in the fridge for whenever I need it, rather than trying to remember to buy some fresh ginger (which always seems to go manky before use it all up!)

My mum used to do this when I was little. All frozen in ice cube trays. How she found the time I’ll never know. But luckily I can buy it done for me in the frozen aisle in Asda!

Look in large Tesco or Asda in the Asian section of the freezers for brands like Cofresh:

https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/265761689

Pure garlic or ginger or a mix of both, frozen in cubes. Very cheap and much easier than all the alternatives.

@karmakameleon "
My mum used to do this when I was little. All frozen in ice cube trays. How she found the time I’ll never know. But luckily I can buy it done for me in the frozen aisle in Asda!"

Most people can find 15 minutes every couple of weeks. I won't spoil the vibe by talking about the environment

I buy ready peeled garlic and then peel ginger, put it in a small blender with some salt and oil and blitz it. It lasts really well in the fridge and there are no funny tasting preservatives. If you can't be bothered peeling the ginger, buy it ready chopped and frozen.

You need to get the proper Asian stuff, not anything like ‘lazy’ garlic as that has vinegar added and tastes like shite.

If you have an Asian/Middle Eastern market near you this is the best one. Huge jar is less that a fiver and lasts forever in the fridge.

This is up my street. What ratios of garlic:ginger do you use? Equal?

Maybe I'd be best just blitzing them separately.

Well this thread has been a revelation. I always used to do it the hard way, recently discovered that my local dried foods shop sold the jars, thought they were great but they've discontinued them. I had no idea there were so many other options out there.

I buy a bags of frozen garlic and ginger and cubes from Asda, nicer than the jars and lasts longer.

I get separate jars of minced garlic and minced ginger from the local Indian supermarket, they don't taste of anything but ginger and garlic to me! But pp is right about the supermarket or 'Lazy' brand ones, very vinegary.

@Hanitiser "This is up my street. What ratios of garlic:ginger do you use? Equal?"

I do mine separately because I often use garlic on its own. Incidentally, I always grate ginger, it's much quicker and easier than chopping it.

We’re Indian so substantial amounts of garlic and ginger were used in our household, more than ten minutes every few weeks.

I buy the squeezy tubes of chopped ginger and the lazy chopped chilli in jars. The lazy garlic in jars is disgusting as it's drenched in vinegar. I also buy coriander paste in squeezy tubes for when I don't have fresh, but fresh is definitely best for that.

I buy 1kg bags of peeled, vacuum-packed garlic and an equal amount of ginger from my local Asian supermarket. Blitz together with a tiny bit of oil. Freeze in cubes.

I buy Indian brands, but separately. Really no difference in taste, & no waiting to defrost.

The stuff in jars is a bit rank but I don't mind the frozen cubes or tubes of garlic.

If I don't have fresh ginger I prefer to use ginger powder.

The jar stuff is fine, just don't it in the fridge for six months.

I prefer the frozen version, get it in the Asian store or Sainsbury's.

2 parts garlic to one part ginger.

I use the jars, but you need to get them from an Asian supermarket, not the usual supermarkets. They are not vinegary at all.

I like the Nishaan paste which is in the international section. It's better value than the tubes.
The lazy garlic in a jar is horrible, it's dried garlic in vinegar and stays hard.

https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/267144432

Thanks everyone – I hadn’t thought about frozen. I’ve acquired a jar and some frozen cubes so I can now try out both!