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Ginger grater - is it really so great?


Smithy

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Another vote for the microplane, for ginger and for anything and everything else. Greatest invention since the wheel.

winesonoma: I don't understand what you mean about putting plastic wrap on the microplane. Can you explain a bit? Thanks.

I bought a microplane recently, and I have to say, I don't get it. This particular microplane is skinny, and the ginger gets all glommed on the underside and I can't get it out. Same for garlic.

I use a minichop to mince ginger, or else my knife.

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I bought a microplane recently, and I have to say, I don't get it. This particular microplane is skinny, and the ginger gets all glommed on the underside and I can't get it out. Same for garlic.

I use a minichop to mince ginger, or else my knife.

ratgirlny, are you talking about this one? I faced a similar problem using it. Lost most of the grated ginger/garlic because it stuck between the curved undersides of the grater. I guess it works better as a zester and for grating stuff like nutmeg and hard cheese. For ginger/garlic, I've been using the Microplane coarse grater and am very happy with it. I find its shape better suited to retrieve the grated material, and it is also available in the fine version.

"I look around (the Amazon rainforest) and see a green wall. They (the Machiguenga Indians of Peru) look around and see a supermarket." -Austin Stevens

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Interesting. I use the microplane in your first link (the long thin one) and don't have any difficulty with it. Sometimes things do work their way into the curved sides of the grater, but they don't get stuck there. I just run the tip of my knife over whatever is there and it comes right out. I've been meaning to buy the coarse grater, so now I'll make a point of getting it. I want to see how differently it behaves.

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I have the wider fine version and love it dearly. Haven't tried the long, thin version but have been meaning to for some time.

Kathy

Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all. - Harriet Van Horne

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Interesting. I use the microplane in your first link (the long thin one) and don't have any difficulty with it. Sometimes things do work their way into the curved sides of the grater, but they don't get stuck there. I just run the tip of my knife over whatever is there and it comes right out. I've been meaning to buy the coarse grater, so now I'll make a point of getting it. I want to see how differently it behaves.

Yeah, running the knife along the curved part helps, but for me, it's simply more convenient not having to do that with the 'flat' version, especially when I'm grating just a small amount of ginger/garlic. Nothing beats the long, thin one for drier stuff though.

"I look around (the Amazon rainforest) and see a green wall. They (the Machiguenga Indians of Peru) look around and see a supermarket." -Austin Stevens

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My mother placed a mid-week long distance call to me a couple of years ago, so agog was she about the plastic wrap/cermaic grater trick. I haven't tried it yet -- I'm a knife person--but Mummy swears by it.

Margaret McArthur

"Take it easy, but take it."

Studs Terkel

1912-2008

A sensational tennis blog from freakyfrites

margaretmcarthur.com

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About Ben and  his 20 seconds --he is using his Chinese 'food processor' -- his cleaver.  Fantastic knife!! Always does a great job with garlic or ginger. Smash! Spread! Chop! Mince! and then scrape it all up with the blade!  I show my students the cleaver method -- a method everyone has seen on Yan Kan, but most people are timid about it, and so I show them the cheese grater way. As with Ben, my chopping board is always at hand as is my cleaver.  BTW -- my cleaver is neatly stowed in the tiny slit of a space between my counter and stove. All my chopping/slicing knives are there, always at hand. I also keep my knives sharp and use one against the other, with a few swipes, to give a keen edge

Thanks, Jo-Mel.

You, like most experienced cooks, have shown that you understand what I am talking about. I am disappointed that some board members here have a tendency to scoff at techniques and procedures that they themselves have not seen or are adept at, without trying to learn more about it. Like most, I don't come on this board to brag, but to learn and maybe contribute a little culinary knowledge to the generally civilized pool of members.

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Ah! I think I finally get Ben's point. However, this threw me for a bit of a loop.

You, like most experienced cooks, have shown that you understand what I am talking about. I am disappointed that some board members here have a tendency to scoff at techniques and procedures that they themselves have not seen or are adept at, without trying to learn more about it. Like most, I don't come on this board to brag, but to learn and maybe contribute a little culinary knowledge to the generally civilized pool of members.

Goodness me, I don't think you need be so very disappointed in all of us! :raz: There are fewer ding-a-lings here than you might think!

Allow me to explain. Here's what you originally wrote:

Whatever happened to good old knife skills - a sign of the good cook??

Slice ginger "see through" thin, stack slices, slice thin again, so you have tiny, thin slivers. If slivers are what you need, stop here. If you need "minced", then slice across again to get a pile of tiny bits. Total elapsed time=20 seconds, or about 5 minutes less than getting the grater out, setting up, grate, wash grater, put it away.

Or, to go straight to the minced stage, take a lump of ginger, use the flat side of a Chinese cleaver, smack it firmly to mash it and mince. 5 seconds flat.

Gadgets are preventing people from learning the basic skills.

You and I certainly agree that "good old knife skills" are well worth developing and maintaining. However, I asked you about the 20 seconds because of the structure of your argument: you compare "getting the grater out, setting up, grate, wash grater, put it away" to using tools that are already on the counter ready to use, which was confusing to me.

Like you, I can mince a knob of ginger in well under a minute, but I can also grate that same knob on a grater in a similar amount of time. Preparing equipment and cleaning it up ought not enter into the calculations.

Chris Amirault

eG Ethics Signatory

Sir Luscious got gator belts and patty melts

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About Ben and  his 20 seconds --he is using his Chinese 'food processor' -- his cleaver.  Fantastic knife!! Always does a great job with garlic or ginger. Smash! Spread! Chop! Mince! and then scrape it all up with the blade!  I show my students the cleaver method -- a method everyone has seen on Yan Kan, but most people are timid about it, and so I show them the cheese grater way. As with Ben, my chopping board is always at hand as is my cleaver.  BTW -- my cleaver is neatly stowed in the tiny slit of a space between my counter and stove. All my chopping/slicing knives are there, always at hand. I also keep my knives sharp and use one against the other, with a few swipes, to give a keen edge

Thanks, Jo-Mel.

You, like most experienced cooks, have shown that you understand what I am talking about. I am disappointed that some board members here have a tendency to scoff at techniques and procedures that they themselves have not seen or are adept at, without trying to learn more about it. Like most, I don't come on this board to brag, but to learn and maybe contribute a little culinary knowledge to the generally civilized pool of members.

I have to say I really agree with Ben. I meant to say that before, but better late than never.

Certainly, there are times when I find my ginger grater to be rather helpful, but then there are also times when I just want my ginger simply minced rather than grated into a pulp (which I often do just to extract the juice).

Too often, skill is replaced by "convenience" and too often I have seen people who are uncomfortable with using a knife. Knife skills are nothing to scoff at. They are an important base in cooking.

And Ben, I don't think how you mentioned the time it takes you to mince ginger as bragging. It's just what someone with a decent amount of skill in the kitchen should be able to do.

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Too often, skill is replaced by "convenience" and too often I have seen people who are uncomfortable with using a knife. Knife skills are nothing to scoff at. They are an important base in cooking.

Thank you Sencha.

I equate the loss of basic kitchen skills with the use of calculators in the class room. Kids are allowed to use the calculator before they can multiply 2x2. :sad: I have nothing against gadgets, but people should learn basic skills first.

On a further note, I am willing to wager that if you check out the kitchens of 100 Asian/Chinese restaurants, you would be hard pressed to find one ginger grater or garlic press, and they use a LOT of ginger and garlic.

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