Ginger goes from an underrated to overrated spice almost entirely based on how processed it is.
I've had unpleasant experiences when it was grated and most likely undercooked.
I'm a big believer that both ginger and garlic are made manifestly worse by grating. I dunno what's different for those from knife skills, but they get super gummy and way more bitter.
I always chop my garlic by hand myself, the garlic presses feel like they are from a bygone era, and food processors are for bulk ingredients.
I like jicama. It's great in salads.
Parsnips are the tits. I never make chicken soup without at least 3 of them.
Garlic's pungency depends on how many cell walls you break. Grate it and you fuck them all up and it gets super strong and gummy. Shouldn't be bitter unless you've overcooked it.
Creamy parsnip soup is hard to beat. Sautee a little celery, carrot, onion in equal portions in a soup pot, with a bay leaf or two, some salt and pepper. Peel your parsnips like a carrrot, cut to chunks, throw in pot along with veg, cover with some chicken stock and simmer until parsnips are tender. Let it cool, throw in blender, add cream or milk. Heat it back up slowly when you want to eat it. Or you dont even need the cream, i've made it without before. My pot is usually 1/5th (cel, carrot, onion combined) and 4/5ths parsnips the space between filled with stock.
I am a monster that runs the garlic AND ginger through a garlic press, and then fries that up with some chili, dark soy, and noodles. Pressed garlic def cooks faster than chopped, it's very tiny pieces. It can easily go bitter if you look away from the pan for a second. A garlic press is for when you want MAXIMUM garlic levels. Vampire hunters always press their garlic, you know you've eaten pressed garlic when you wake up and your mouth still tastes of garlic. Vampires can't get you while you sleep.
With you on the parsnip soup. Such a basic dish and very cheap/filling while also being satisfying to cook and eat. I use a stick blender, but your recipe is pretty close to mine.Creamy parsnip soup is hard to beat. Sautee a little celery, carrot, onion in equal portions in a soup pot, with a bay leaf or two, some salt and pepper. Peel your parsnips like a carrrot, cut to chunks, throw in pot along with veg, cover with some chicken stock and simmer until parsnips are tender. Let it cool, throw in blender, add cream or milk. Heat it back up slowly when you want to eat it. Or you dont even need the cream, i've made it without before. My pot is usually 1/5th (cel, carrot, onion combined) and 4/5ths parsnips the space between filled with stock.
I am a monster that runs the garlic AND ginger through a garlic press, and then fries that up with some chili, dark soy, and noodles. Pressed garlic def cooks faster than chopped, it's very tiny pieces. It can easily go bitter if you look away from the pan for a second. A garlic press is for when you want MAXIMUM garlic levels. Vampire hunters always press their garlic, you know you've eaten pressed garlic when you wake up and your mouth still tastes of garlic. Vampires can't get you while you sleep.
