Instead of using a knife to peel your ginger, try a sturdy spoon instead. It's fast, easy and doesn't cut as deeply into the root as a knife. This is important because most of the beneficial oils lie right under the skin. Hold the ginger in one hand. Use the other hand to press down on the ginger skin with a spoon to "scoop off" the layer of skin. Only peel as much as you plan to immediately use, so the rest of the root will continue to stay fresh.