Degchi
Ginger-garlic paste
Also written: adrak lehsan paste, adrak lasan
Ginger-garlic paste is fresh ginger and garlic ground together, often in roughly equal parts. A spoonful goes into a huge number of meat and chicken curries, and it is sold ready-made in jars, though homemade tastes fresher.
In our Bangladeshi recipes it usually arrives in the marinade. Beef Bhuna and Kala Bhuna marinate the meat with yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric, chilli and salt for at least 30 minutes; Chicken Rezala marinates with half the yogurt, the paste and salt for 30 minutes. Haleem cooks the beef with the paste, turmeric, chilli and salt in a pressure cooker until it is very tender.
Because it is raw, the paste needs cooking. Add it to hot oil with onions and stir until the raw smell goes, which is a sign you are ready for the next step. Scorched garlic turns bitter, so add a splash of water if the pan sticks.
Store homemade paste in the fridge in a clean jar with a thin film of oil on top, and use it within a few days.
Recipes that use it
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