How to prepare ginger and onion is an essential skill for any aspiring home cook. These two aromatic ingredients form the backbone of countless savory dishes, adding depth and flavor that can elevate your culinary creations.
Whether you’re sautéing, grating, or dicing, mastering the art of handling ginger and onion will undoubtedly enhance your cooking repertoire. This article will show you the ingredients with tools needed along with the method of preparing ginger and onion with some helpful tips.
Why Proper Ginger and Onion Prep Matters
Below are 5 good reasons why you should know the correct way to prepare ginger and onion:
Essential Kitchen Gadgets for Ginger and Onion Prep
A knife, a chopping board, and a spoon are the three simple and easily available tools in your kitchen to prepare ginger and onion.
Gather These Ingredients for Ginger and Onion Prep
Ginger and onion are inseparable when you want to learn how to prepare these two ingredients. You can easily find ginger and onion at any fresh food store or at the supermarket.
Preparing Ginger and Onion: A How-To Guide
To make it simple, I suggest learning how to prepare onion and ginger one after another to prevent confusion. In this section, you will get to know each step to perfectly nail the preparation every time.
How to Prepare Onions Properly?
Here’s how you can prepare the onion by simply removing the skin before mincing it. All you need to do is to follow these simple procedures to get ready for the onion.
Step 1: Remove the Skin
Onions and shallots have similar peels, so you can start by slicing them in half first. Then, use your hands to peel off the outer skin.
While peeling the skin, don’t cut off the root yet because it will release the pungent chemical that makes your eyes water. You should only cut off the root after peeling off the skin.
Step 2: Dice the Onion
After slicing the onion in half, you want to make a few vertical cuts across the halved onion without going through it completely. Then, make a few horizontal slices without cutting through the onion completely.
To keep the onion from breaking apart, you can curl your hand over the onion halves while making the horizontal slices.
Then, use your fingers to hold the onion with the middle finger’s knuckle slightly protruding to prevent cutting yourself.
In a smooth motion, cut the onion in a downward direction to dice the onion. Now, let’s move to the next part of ginger preparation.
What Is the Best Way to Prepare Ginger?
To prepare ginger, you get two different methods, either using a spoon or a knife. Commonly, a knife or a spoon makes a perfect tool for scraping the ginger’s peel.
Step 1: Scraping Off the Peel
There are 2 methods, which are using a spoon or a knife to remove ginger peel.
Method 1: Using A Spoon
Use a thin metal spoon to scrape off the ginger peel in a downward motion.
Method 2: Using A Knife
The same concept is used for the knife, but you want to use the cutting edge of the knife to scrape off the ginger peel.
Step 2: Slicing the Ginger
You can use a similar onion-holding technique for the ginger to cut it into thin slices.
Then use these slices for garnish over dishes or continue to julienne them.
Step 3: Mincing the Ginger
After slicing the ginger into thin strips, you can proceed to place these strips together to mince them. Hold the ginger strips, similar to how you hold the onion, and let the knife chop down smoothly.
Tricks for Effortless Ginger and Onion Preparation
Here are 3 main tips for working with ginger and onion that you should notice. They can prove to come in handy, especially when you want to be professional in your home kitchen.
Prep Your Ginger and Onion Like a Master Chef
Learning the technique to prepare ginger and onion is an essential skill that can elevate your culinary prowess. These two flavorful ingredients are the foundation for countless mouthwatering dishes, adding depth and character to your cooking.
These two aromatics are simple to prepare, with many methods that you can try. Let me know in the comment section if you’ve different adaptations for these preparation skills. Also, you should share this article with people around you who love cooking.
How To Prepare Onion And Ginger?
Equipment
- Knife
- Chopping Board
Ingredients
- 1 Ginger
- 1 Onion
Instructions
Preparing The Onion:
- Slice the onion in half before using your finger to peel off the skin.
- After peeling off the skin, don’t cut off the root yet to prevent the onion from releasing the chemicals that make your eyes cry.
- Hold the onion at the root and start cutting it vertically without slicing all the way through the onion. Then, curl your hand around the halved onion to cut it horizontally.
- Finally, use three of your fingers to hold the onion in place, with the middle finger’s knuckle sticking out slightly to control the knife. This slight change helps prevent the knife from cutting your fingers.
Preparing The Ginger:
- Use a spoon or a knife to scrape off the ginger peel.
- Cut the peeled ginger into thin slices before julienning them.
- Use the thin strips of ginger to mince them into smaller ginger pieces.
Video
Notes
- Make sure to use a durable chopping board to prevent small particles from mixing with the minced ingredients.
- Place a towel or a piece of cloth under the chopping board so it doesn’t slip while preparing the ingredients.
- Ideally, you don’t want to cut off the onion root too early to prevent yourself from crying.
Nutrition
Richie
Content Writer
Expertise
Home Cooking, Meal Planning, Food Styling, Food Photography, Cooking-video Maker, Beverage Evaluation Expert
Education
Saigon Culinary Arts Centre, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Vietnam Australia Vocational School (VAAC), Hanoi, Vietnam
Richie, based in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, is a dynamic Content Writer with a talent for capturing the essence of culinary art.
Richie specializes in creating visually appealing and tasty content, offering a new angle on Vietnamese and other culinary traditions. With a background in graphic design and a love for food styling and photography, he expertly combines beauty with food narratives, encouraging his audience to discover the culinary world through his imaginative perspective.