When dicing ginger or root, how do you minimize wasting edible part?

Question

Learn how to dice ginger efficiently while minimizing waste of the edible portion.

Answer 1

Peel ginger thinly with a spoon instead of a knife to preserve more of the ginger, and square off the irregular shape before dicing to create uniform pieces and reduce waste.

Detailed Explanation:

Minimizing waste when dicing ginger involves a few key techniques. First, instead of using a knife or peeler, use the edge of a spoon to gently scrape away the skin. The skin of ginger is very thin, and a spoon allows you to remove only the necessary amount, preserving more of the usable ginger.

Next, ginger root often has an irregular shape. Before you start dicing, use a sharp knife to square off the ginger. This means cutting away the rounded edges to create a more rectangular or square shape. These trimmings aren't waste! You can save them for making ginger tea, flavoring soups, or infusing oils.

Once you have a squared-off piece of ginger, slice it into thin planks. Stack the planks and cut them into matchsticks (julienne). Finally, gather the matchsticks and dice them into small, uniform cubes. This method ensures consistent sizing and minimizes small, unusable pieces.

Pro Tip:

Don't throw away the ginger peels or trimmings! Freeze them in a bag and use them to make a flavorful ginger broth or add them to your next stir-fry for an extra boost of flavor.