Ever wondered how to toast garlic? Toasted garlic is easy to make and will stay good for months in a sealed container. We have many uses for toasted garlic. I usually crush and toast 6 to 8 garlic heads so it is ready whenever I need it. In Asian cuisine, toasted garlic is used more often than roasted garlic.
Garlic is an essential ingredient in Philippine cuisine. If you are familiar with Filipino food, you will notice that we always saute with crushed garlic paired with ginger, onion or tomatoes. You'll either love it's pungent smell or not. I love garlic so I wonder if I smell garlicky at times especially after having raw garlic with lumpiang sariwa. I only know one non Filipino who can tell if I had garlic.
One of the things my mom taught me in the kitchen was how to toast garlic. I remember when I first made toasted garlic – it burned in seconds. Obviously, I was not paying attention to my mother. The heat was on high. Have you ever tasted burnt toasted garlic? It’s bad! But if cooked right – Uh, the aroma of toasted garlic is so good. The irresistible garlicky smell lingered in the air even when done cooking.
When I was going to school, street hawkers were selling spicy roasted peanuts with stir fried garlic and it was so yummy. It’s hard to miss them since the smell of garlic was like calling me. I’m sure there are people who doesn’t care for that smell but I love it. Toasted garlic has many uses in Filipino food. To name a few, we use it for palabok, pancit malabon, peanuts, wonton soup, mami and many more. Our family use it in ginisang monggo too.
Pound garlic using a mortar or a blender. If not doing a lot, it is convenient to use a mortar but when doing many garlic heads it is best to use a blender.
Raw garlic will keep longer if stored in a dry area. I don’t store garlic in the fridge. Garlic is great for cooking. Aside from that it is known for its health benefits when eaten raw. Raw garlic is also added to a popular Philippine condiment called Atchara and vinegar dip. Try adding it in your cooking.
How to Toast Garlic
Watch my video “How to Toast Garlic” so you can make it today. Magluto na tayo!
Recipe
How to Toast Garlic
Ingredients
- 8 garlic heads peeled and crushed
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Peel, cut and crush each cloves of garlic evenly. Cut into pieces so when you use the mortar it is easier to pound and crush garlic.
- In a pan heat, oil over medium-low heat.
- Add garlic and cook until golden brown and crisp. Lower heat as garlic cooks. Stir constantly to cook evenly.
- Drain oil and transfer to a container. Let it cool down before closing the lid.
Notes
- Stir fry garlic in medium low heat until golden brown. Lower heat if needed.
- Don't over toast the garlic.
- Store toasted garlic in a sealed container so it stays good and crisp.
Nutrition
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