Black Garlic is garlic which has undergone a fermentation process. It was first used and produced in South Korea as a health food – Taoism professes it to be a food of immortality!
Black Garlic cloves
I was kindly sent some to try by Black Garlic UK who outline the production process. Cloves of standard white are planted in early summer and lifted when ready, later in the year. They are then cleaned and kept in cold storage until required for the unique fermentation process.
“Garlic contains sugars and amino acids. When garlic undergoes fermentation, these elements produce melanoidin, a dark-colored substance that is responsible for the color of black garlic”. The process of fermentation is carefully controlled and takes three weeks of careful monitoring to ensure a consistent flavour. It is then left to cool and dry out before it can be used.
I think it’s fascinating and from a health perspective it’s loaded with anti-oxidants too. The manufacturers claim there are twice as many as in raw garlic. It’s also low in fat, rich in natural sugars and amino acids and contains absolutely no additives. Brilliant!
Recipes using Black Garlic
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