Ginger garlic paste is the base of an enormous number of Indian dishes, and making it fresh every single time is a job nobody enjoys.

This is the shortcut nearly every Indian kitchen accepts.

A tablespoon into the onions once they have softened, cooked until the raw smell goes, and you are on your way. Use it in curries, marinades, dal and biryani. Keep the jar in the fridge once opened.

In the pantry aisle at Curry Corner, North Melbourne.