Chef Chris Cho bulk prepping garlic, scallions, and ginger — This is how you prep garlic, scallions, and ginger!

Master the “Asian Trinity” with this guide to bulk-preparing aromatics. Includes step-by-step instructions for prepping and freezing garlic, scallions, and ginger to save time and reduce kitchen friction.

Most Asian food requires the “Asian trinity” or the combination of garlic, scallions (or onion), and ginger as the base ingredient for aroma and flavor. Not only that, but most food actually tastes better with these three!

However, honestly, one of the most taxing tasks in the kitchen is literally to prepare these–especially the peeling! It makes any recipe hard just by thinking about having to peel garlic and ginger, kakaka!

When I was growing up, though, I never had to do these tasks while cooking because of this one hack my mom taught me: Preparing and freezing your aromatics! Yes, there will be a dedicated day to do the bulk prep for these, but it is 100% worth the effort if it means you can have garlic, scallions, and ginger ANYTIME after doing the work!!

Why You Need To Bulk Prepare & Freeze Garlic, Scallions, and Ginger

This saves you prep time and reduces friction points in preparing meals.
It guarantees added freshness and flavor, allowing you to make a more well-rounded dish.
While fresh is best, these aromatics will still cut through all the seasonings you use, which makes a difference in the end result of the dish.

Equipment You’ll Need

Sharp Knife & Cutting Board – This will be used to prepare the scallions. Sharp knives are a must as they are able to easily cut through the fibers of the leaves, making it safer to handle. Dull knives can slip due to excessive force, making it unsafe.
Food Processor – This will be used to prepare the garlic much faster.
Spoon – To peel the ginger.
Freezer Bags – To store all the aromatics.

How to Prepare Garlic

You can go hard and peel garlic one by one. This ensures it is fresh and does not contain preservatives. When you do this, you don’t need to wash the garlic after peeling.

However, you can also buy bags of peeled garlic at Asian groceries, Costco, and the like to make this process much easier. But with this, you need to look through it and check if there are any white dimples in the cloves (slice them off) or any pieces that are discoloring (discard them).

After inspecting, wash the garlic cloves in running water, then pat them dry. Place them in a food processor and mince until the desired chunkiness is reached–you can choose whether you want a chunky mince or finer mince.

Place minced garlic in a bag, roll to flatten out and remove air, then store in the freezer. Use a chopstick to lightly score or create 2×2 grooves in the bagged garlic so it is easier to chip off later on. This equals roughly a tablespoon of garlic per cube.

This is a spicy, garlicky, and fresh addition to any stir fries, sauces, and can be used in dishes like soy garlic noodles, garlic fried rice, and spicy garlic fried chicken.

How to Prepare Scallions

People often find it confusing what the difference is between green onions and scallions. They are the same–long, slender, with white bottoms and green hollow tops, just with interchangeable names.

To prepare, first, remove wilted leaves. They are usually the dried, discolored, and papery outer layer. Once removed, you will see a firmer and more vibrant-colored layer.

Chop off 1 inch from the root, then wash, shake off excess water, and pat dry. Scallions are grown on the ground, so there’s a lot of dirt and soil that may cling to them. Make sure to remove this when washing.

Chop the white part, then slice the green part into 3-inch pieces. Place these separately in freezer bags, making sure to flatten and roll to remove air. Place this in the freezer flat so it’s easier to chip off a part to use later on.

These are mildly sweet and fresh. The chopped scallions are perfect for fried rice, ramen garnish, and stir-fries like gan jjajangmyeon sauce and gireum tteokbokki. While the sliced scallions can be an additional veggie to soups and stews like hobak jjigae, kimchi jjigae, and sujebi.

How to Prepare Ginger

With ginger, it’s much easier to prepare as you only need to wash off the dirt, then peel it using a spoon. Store this in chunks. To use, thaw for a few minutes, then grate or slice it however it is needed in the recipe.

Can You Really Prep and Freeze Aromatics?

Yes! Placing them in the freezer will preserve their aroma and flavor for longer.

Among these three, the scallions are likely to have freezer burn the fastest because they have a sap. This then makes the scallions look a bit “wet” when you use them after freezing; however, the flavor remains the same.

Amount to Prepare & Shelf Life Guide

	Amount	Usage	Will Last For/Keep Well Until
Garlic	3 lb bags or 30 bulbs	2-4 tbsp per use	1-2 months
Scallions	~6 bundles from Asian groceries	2-3 tbsp per use	2-3 weeks
Ginger	2 lb ginger	1 tbsp per use (grated); may be used up quicker when sliced	2-3 months

Other Notes:

You can keep the root of the scallions and regrow them later on.
If you’re wondering, I don’t recommend prepping onions as they can easily become mushy and lose their flavor when chopped beforehand.
Do not store any of these in the fridge, especially the garlic, as they will intensely smell and will quickly lose their freshness. Freezing = better preservation.

Make sure to leave a rating, a comment, or tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Tiktok when you chop them up! Yeobosayo!

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