Ginger and Garlic are the most common cooking ingredients. Almost every dish in the Indian subcontinent uses Ginger-Garlic paste. It not only increases the taste of your dishes, but it is also healthy. Food’s preservation time directly depends on these ingredients. If you want to preserve food for a long time, you have to use them properly.
But questions arise in mind when Ginger-Garlic paste turns green or blue. Why Ginger-Garlic paste turns green? How to stop this from turning green? Is it safe to use green Ginger-Garlic paste?
Here in this article, I will answer these questions in detail. So, let’s begin.
Why Ginger-Garlic Paste Turns Green?
Here are a few reasons which are responsible for turning the paste green or blue. Without wasting any more time, let’s dive into them.
Mixing the Paste with Onions
Onion turns Ginger-Garlic paste green! Yes, you are reading right. When you cut Garlic, you get its smell. And you get a bit of sense of its taste.
Here the question comes what is responsible for Garlic’s smell and taste? Its chemicals. Anthocyanins are one of them. Do you know what anthocyanins are? You may know about it but can’t remember how and when you learned about it. Let’s get back to high school.
You might use litmus paper in your high school’s chemistry class for pH tests. It is made from anthocyanins and changes color according to the pH level of the content. Anthocyanins are responsible for changing the color of litmus paper.
When you mix onions with Garlic-Ginger paste, onions’ sulfur compound creates chemical reactions with water and produces weak sulfuric acid. It changes the pH level of the Garlic. Therefore, Garlic changes its color. It works in the same way as litmus paper.
Use of Excessive Water in the Paste
Ginger-Garlic paste is a common ingredient in Indian subcontinent cooking. However, it is also used around the world for various cooking. Whatever you cook, you can’t ignore this paste. If you, you won’t get your desired taste. That’s why you need a lot of it. Making it once and storing it is a great idea.
When you make a significant amount, you have to use water. Here the problem starts. As I said earlier, Garlic contains different chemicals. It has more than 30 organosulphur compounds. And their metabolic products contain Sulphur.
Sulfur is seriously responsive to chemical reactions. When you use water to make the paste, water and Garlic’s Sulfur make a chemical reaction that led to the discoloring of the paste.
Storing in Non-airtight Container
Storing Ginger-Garlic paste is a serious matter. If you don’t store it properly, it will change its color.
When it comes in touch with air, it reacts. And chemical reactions happen between paste’s chemical elements and air elements. It led to the color changes in the paste. That’s why the non-airtight container is responsible for the paste discoloring.
So, if you don’t use water and onions in the paste, still, it can change its color if you don’t use an airtight container.
Use of a Wet Spoon
The paste could still turn green if you didn’t use water, onions, and a non-airtight container. Do you know why?
In this case, the wet spoon is the culprit. It is an ideal source of water and moisture. Water or moisture is the leading cause for turning the paste green. So, when you use any tool to remove the paste from the storage container, use a dry spoon.
Use of Fresh Garlic
Did you use fresh or old Garlic for making the paste? If you used fresh Garlic, it might be the cause for the color change.
Now, a question may arise in your mind why do fresh ones paste turn green. Generally, newly harvested fresh Garlic contains more water than old Garlic. Its water content makes chemical reactions with its own chemicals, which lead to color change.
So, when choosing Garlic for making the paste, pick old Garlic instead of fresh.
Use of Rotten Ginger or Garlic
It is another reason; your paste turns green or blue. If you were in a hurry while making the paste, you might add a piece of rotten Garlic or Ginger in the paste. And it is enough for turning the paste green.
How can a small piece of Ginger or Garlic transform the paste color? Did you ever see bacteria? They are so tiny; they can be millions in small rotten Ginger or Garlic. And one bacteria can change the paste color.
So, when you choose them, ensure that they are fresh. If you find any rotten piece, throw it in the dustbin first.
How to Stop Garlic From Turning Green?
Here are some proven tips for preventing Ginger-Garlic paste color transformation.
Do not use water
You already know that water turns Ginger-Garlic paste green, so avoid water. Instead of water, use oil. Oil is an effective element that adds a protective layer to foods.
What if I need to use water? In this case, use distilled water. It is free from trace metals.
Use iodine-free salt
Did you ever use salt for fish or meat preservation? Salt is a widely used preservative material. It is used to preserve foods, meat, fish, and vegetable. Similarly, you can use salt while making the paste. It will protect the paste from turning green. For Garlic-Ginger paste preservation, use iodine-free salt.
Store the paste properly
If you can’t store the paste properly, it won’t last long and will turn green. After making the paste, store it properly as soon as possible. When you store, ensure that it is fresh.
For storing, use an airtight container. It is a must if you don’t want to turn your paste green or blue.
Use dry ginger and Garlic
Still, do I need to tell you about the negative effect of water on Garlic-Ginger paste? I guess no. Water is a proven enemy of Ginger-Garlic paste, which turns it green or blue. To avoid that, you should use dry Ginger and Garlic so that water can not create any chemical reaction and turn paste green.
You can keep them under the sun for some time before making the paste.
Use stainless steel cookware
Right cookware can prevent the paste from turning green. Yes, it is true!
When making the paste ensure that you don’t use copper, iron cast, tin, and aluminum cookware; instead, use stainless steel cookware. Therefore, your paste won’t create chemical reactions with cookware.
Is it Safe to Use Green Garlic Ginger Paste?
This is the most important question that comes. When the paste turns green, it doesn’t mean that you can’t use it. It is usual for Ginger-Garlic paste to turn green or blue. When it turns green, its taste or effectiveness doesn’t diminish. You can use the green paste without worrying.
However, if the paste’s smell is terrible, you shouldn’t use it. You should keep in mind that the paste should smell fresh when you remove the container’s mouth.
Conclusion
Ingredients such as Garlic and Ginger changes color naturally. It is not a serious issue. Chemical reactions are the leading cause of their discoloring. Moreover, other ingredients such as onions, water, and acid are also responsible for discoloring the paste.
You can prevent Ginger-Garlic paste discoloring by applying simple techniques. However, you can use green or blue Ginger-Garlic paste. We are at the end of this article hopefully, it was helpful for you. If you need a blender for ginger garlic paste, feel free to visit our website.