I've just found out about this interesting version of garlic from a family friend. It's called "black garlic" and is basically a caramelised form of garlic. It is used in Asian cuisine, but since it costs quite a lot, I probably haven't come across it often unless it was an upmarket restaurant, although I haven't noticed.
As you can see below, after caramelisation, there is an interesting, almost fuzzy texture to the peeled bulb, unlike fresh garlic which is very smooth, aside from the grooves. You can also see that while the outside is almost charcoal black, the inside is brownish, and you can still make out the lines of the radical (I think that's what the lines are) amidst the dark brown shade.
This is the bulb, but you can also caramelise the cloves too. This was purchased from Hong Kong for about S$25-30 I think. Apparently you can also buy it in Singapore, but it costs more per bottle, like $40.
Taste wise, it had the strong pungency of garlic that is slightly fermented, or at least cooked well to bring out the flavour. I don't really know how to describe the smell... I almost feel like saying it borders on smelling like fart ahahaha, but that would be inaccurate too because it doesn't come across as gross at all.
It was also really sweet, like caramelised onions. And there was a sourness that reminded me of balsamic vinegar. I can imagine if you chopped this up and stored it in olive oil with some Mediterranean spices, it would be a good Western salad dressing.
Texture wise, it had a medium softness, and its slight firmness was of the bouncy sort... like a very soft rubber ball. But once you bite into it, it is like a moist preserved fruit, maybe like 7D dried mangoes.
Because it packs so much flavour, and has a really pleasant sweet-sour taste, it would probably be a boon for gourmet chefs in creating or enhancing all kinds of cuisine. I think it would go really well with or in place of grilled garlic or caramelised onions. Like in marinades for grills. Or salad dressings. Or with paste, or as a sauce for grilled red meats. It's also a tasty snack eaten on its own, which in this case I did.
Besides its taste, there are also many claims about all sorts of health benefits from this, like antioxidant properties and so on. But I haven't done any research to verify it. It's yummy and natural enough that I don't need to know what health benefits there are to want to eat this. ^_^
DIY
The reason why it costs so much is because it usually takes a long time to incubate. The family friend said something like 30 days in a rice cooker on warm mode. My mom has been experimenting with it, but she wasn't able to do it for the full 30 days, and resorted to completing some of the cooking process in the oven. Her home made ones seemed decent, although I haven't tried them.
I'm not sure if you need to open it from time to time to dry it out though, but after some time in the rice cooker, there is a lot of moisture that builds up. I think that's what the paper towels below the garlic are for.
But if you try to make this at home, beware... the stubborn and intense pungency of the garlic will fill your home. So either put the rice cooker outdoors, or else make sure your kitchen door is closed, and there is some form of ventilation for the air.
As you can see below, after caramelisation, there is an interesting, almost fuzzy texture to the peeled bulb, unlike fresh garlic which is very smooth, aside from the grooves. You can also see that while the outside is almost charcoal black, the inside is brownish, and you can still make out the lines of the radical (I think that's what the lines are) amidst the dark brown shade.
It was also really sweet, like caramelised onions. And there was a sourness that reminded me of balsamic vinegar. I can imagine if you chopped this up and stored it in olive oil with some Mediterranean spices, it would be a good Western salad dressing.
Texture wise, it had a medium softness, and its slight firmness was of the bouncy sort... like a very soft rubber ball. But once you bite into it, it is like a moist preserved fruit, maybe like 7D dried mangoes.
Because it packs so much flavour, and has a really pleasant sweet-sour taste, it would probably be a boon for gourmet chefs in creating or enhancing all kinds of cuisine. I think it would go really well with or in place of grilled garlic or caramelised onions. Like in marinades for grills. Or salad dressings. Or with paste, or as a sauce for grilled red meats. It's also a tasty snack eaten on its own, which in this case I did.
Besides its taste, there are also many claims about all sorts of health benefits from this, like antioxidant properties and so on. But I haven't done any research to verify it. It's yummy and natural enough that I don't need to know what health benefits there are to want to eat this. ^_^
DIY
The reason why it costs so much is because it usually takes a long time to incubate. The family friend said something like 30 days in a rice cooker on warm mode. My mom has been experimenting with it, but she wasn't able to do it for the full 30 days, and resorted to completing some of the cooking process in the oven. Her home made ones seemed decent, although I haven't tried them.
I'm not sure if you need to open it from time to time to dry it out though, but after some time in the rice cooker, there is a lot of moisture that builds up. I think that's what the paper towels below the garlic are for.
Also, if you don't live in some parts of the world where black garlic is common, caramelised and fermented black garlic might be highly unusual to you. If you found this interesting, you can explore more exceptionally unusual food and drinks here!
Comments
Post a Comment