I am writing this post especially for all you garlic lovers like me, who liberally use this fantastic ingredient in your day to day cooking. Garlic truly is a game changer and has the power to transform any dish for the better. However, prepping garlic can sometimes be a bit of a process. So it is a great idea to keep this miracle spice ready to go before you start making your favorite dish. This post aims to introduce you to few easy tips and tricks on peeling, storing and making fresh garlic paste.
If you have cooked Indian food at home, you have probably noticed that many of the recipes call for ginger and garlic paste. Although these pastes are available in many stores, I prefer making my own at home. It is easy to make and more importantly, the flavors of fresh homemade garlic paste sans preservatives is way better than the store bought ones.
So what exactly is garlic paste?
Unlike in Italian, Spanish or Chinese cooking where you use chopped, diced or sliced garlic, Indian cooking uses “garlic paste”. Essentially garlic paste is fresh peeled garlic that is ground to a fine paste in a blender using minimal or no water. You can then freeze this paste and this makes for your ready to use garlic!
I love garlic not only for the flavors it adds to the dishes but also for its health benefits. Here are a just few:
- Helps to flush out toxins, cleanse & purify blood
- Provides relief from stubborn cold and flu
- Helps lower cholesterol & lower blood pressure
- Has antioxidant properties that may help prevent dementia & Alzheimer’s disease
I often buy peeled garlic, as I use a lot of garlic in my everyday cooking. I also like to keep garlic bulbs handy as they last for several weeks at room temperature and this way I have a backup stash of my favorite ingredient.
How to store garlic bulbs
- Remember to store garlic as a whole bulb and to not separate the cloves, this way it will stay fresh longer
- Garlic loves cold and dark places. Keep it away from sunlight in a cool dark place
- One of the best ways to store your garlic is by keeping the whole bulbs in the refrigerator, they will stay good for months
How to peel garlic
First, start by separating the cloves. The easiest way to do this is by placing the garlic bulb on a cutting board and then smashing the top of the bulb (root part) so that the individual cloves separate. Once the cloves are separated you can peel the garlic cloves in 2 ways:
Method 1: Cut the top hard part of each clove and then peel the skin off (photos 2 – 4)
Method 2: Use a garlic peeler tube. These silicone tubes are inexpensive and make peeling garlic super easy. Simply add separated garlic cloves in the tube, 8 to 10 at a time and roll the tube on a flat surface by applying gentle pressure on top. Most of the peels will come out and you can simply pick up the peeled cloves (photos 5 – 8)
How to store peeled garlic
- Once you have the garlic cloves ready, you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for upto a month. Chop, slice or press them based on the recipe
- For Indian cooking it’s best to make garlic paste as it pairs well with the ginger paste and comes along super handy. Note: 1 garlic clove usually yields into 1 teaspoon of garlic paste
How to make homemade garlic paste
Add peeled garlic cloves to a blender and blend them to make smooth paste. I really like the Blendtec twister jar for making pastes, chutneys and dry spice blends. You can also use a food processor for this. NOTE: There is no need to add any water during blending but if for some reason your blender does not blend it finely, you can add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water to it (Photos 1 – 4)
Storing Fresh Garlic Paste
Option 1: Freeze the garlic paste in freezer zip lock bags or in silicone trays. If using freezer zip lock bags, remember to make thin layers of the garlic paste so it’s easy to break off smaller pieces when needed. You can use multiple zip lock bags for this. Frozen garlic paste not only retains the fresh flavors but also does not change its color (photos 5 – 6)
Option 2: You can also store the garlic paste refrigerated in a glass jar for up to 5 days. To keep the garlic from turning blueish-green, stir in a little bit of oil and salt to the paste (photos 7 – 10)
How to use Garlic Paste
- To use the frozen garlic paste, simply pop out the cubes of garlic paste one at a time. You can add frozen garlic paste cubes directly to the dish you are cooking
- You can also take out several cubes at a time and store them in a small glass jar for 3 to 4 days
- Similarly with the garlic paste in the zip lock bags, you can break a small piece out as needed and add to the dishes. You can also keep the freezer ziplock bag in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days
More Favorite Cooking Tips & Techniques
- Homemade Ginger Paste
- 5 Ingredient Garam Masala Recipe
- How to make Homemade Ghee
- Favorite Spices in my Kitchen
- All about Lentils & Beans from my pantry
A Few Recipes to Cook This Week Using Garlic Paste
1. Spicy Masala Chicken Burgers
Simple to make these Spicy, Indian Style Masala Chicken Burgers bring out the bold flavors of fresh ginger & Garlic, plus you will be surprised how easy these are to make
2. Mumbai Pav Bhaji
King of Indian street food, Pav Bhaji is a must-try Indian recipe. Make it for a quick weeknight meal, relaxed weekends with family and friends or make a giant pot for potlucks. This dish is a sure shot hit with kids & adults.
3. Maharashtrian Misal Pav
Mom’s recipe for the authentic Spicy Misal served with buttery bun and topped with crunchy, flavorful sev-farsan
4. Pulled Butter Chicken Sandwiches
This Indian inspired pulled chicken sandwich recipe is made in the Instant Pot. Topped with cooling raita these EASY pulled chicken sandwiches are sure to satisfy your restaurant butter chicken cravings
5. Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Served over butter lettuce, these light and bright Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps are loaded with tender chicken, cooked in a sweet and sour sauce along with fresh ginger, garlic, celery and carrots. Bonus, they are also gluten free and dairy free!
Garlic FAQs
My garlic paste turns green in the refrigerator. Is it still safe to consume it
Garlic has certain inherent enzymes that lend it its characteristic flavor. These enzymes break down over time and react with the natural sulphur present in garlic, causing it to turn green or bluish. However, it is absolutely ok to consume it, as it will not change the taste of the dish.
How to remove the garlic smell from your hands after peeling garlic
The potent odor of garlic comes from the sulphur molecules, but there are few easy way to remove that smell:
- Rub lemon peel on your hands and rinse the hands with some soap and warm water
- Wash some stainless steel utensils and the smell will disappear or gently rub the hands on your stainless steel faucet. You will get rid of the smell and also clean the faucet
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How to peel fresh garlic and make garlic paste
Equipment
- silicone garlic peeler tube
Ingredients
- 8 garlic bulbs or 2 cups peeled garlic if using peeled
Instructions
My 2 favorite ways to peel garlic
- First, start by separating the cloves. The easiest way to do this is by placing the garlic bulb on a cutting board and then smashing the top of the bulb (root part) so that the individual cloves separate. Once the cloves are separated you can peel the garlic cloves in 2 ways:
- Cut the top hard part of each clove and then peel the skin offOR use a garlic peeler tube. These silicone tubes are inexpensive and make peeling garlic super easy. Simply add separated garlic cloves in the tube, 8 to 10 at a time and roll the tube on a flat surface by applying gentle pressure on top. Most of the peels will come out and you can simply pick up the peeled cloves
How to make homemade garlic paste
- Add peeled garlic cloves to a blender and blend them to make smooth paste. I like to use the Blendtec Twister Jar for making pastes, chutneys and spice blends. You can also use a food processor for thisNOTE: There is no need to add any water during blending but if for some reason your blender does not blend it finely, you can add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water to it
How to store homemade garlic paste
- Freeze the garlic paste in freezer zip lock bags or in silicone traysNOTE: If using freezer zip lock bags, remember to make thin layers of the garlic paste so it’s easy to break off smaller pieces when needed. You can use multiple zip lock bags for this. Frozen garlic paste not only retains the fresh flavors but also does not change its color
- You can also refrigerate the garlic paste in a glass jar for up to 5 daysNOTE: To keep the garlic from turning blueish-green, stir in a little bit of oil and salt to the paste
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