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Garlic is a wonderful ingredient that can add immense flavour to your dish. It creates a lovely irresistible aroma when cooking in your home. It also has many health benefits. As well as being a good way to combat colds, it also aids digestion and circulation. It really is a magical ingredient.
Top 5 tips on the humble bulb:
1. Let the Garlic “Rest” Before Cooking
Latest research says that slicing or mincing garlic before cooking can enhance its health promoting properties. The more pungent the smell, the better the health benefits. It is also said that after cutting or chopping, it is best ‘rested’ for around 10 minutes before cooking or eating as this allows a compound called allicin to form which is where the health benefits come from. You may notice the garlic smelling stronger as this happens.
2. Don’t Cook Garlic on High Heat
Garlic can easily burn and give a bitter taste to your dish. Garlic is best sautéed on a medium heat for no more than 15 minutes in total. Otherwise the valuable nutrients will be lost.
3. Freeze Garlic
You can freeze whole bulbs of garlic and break off cloves as needed to make it last longer.
4. Roast Garlic
Roast garlic bulbs whole in the oven on 170ºC for around 45mins. Then squeeze out that beautiful roasted goodness.
5. Selecting the Right Garlic Cloves
When choosing garlic, look for firm bulbs where the skin isn’t flaking. If it is dry and the skin is falling off, this is generally older and not as tasty. Also look for locally grown garlic that is slightly purple in colour.
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