The Science of Spice

GARLIC

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Flavour Group | SULPHUROUS COMPOUNDS | Garlic 173

BLENDS TO TRY

Use or adapt these recipes for classic

blends featuring garlic:

Niter kibbeh p32

Mbongo mix p35

Nuoc cham p50

Shichimi-togarashi p57

BBQ rub p68

RELEASE THE FLAVOUR

A damaged garlic clove releases chemicals that react together to create allicin,

the pungent compound we most associate with a “garlicky” flavour. Chopping,

crushing, and puréeing produce progressively higher amounts of allicin.

BLENDING SCIENCE

Garlic’s pungency derives mainly from its sulphur-containing flavour compounds;

these have significant cross-over with cooked meats, which also contain sulphur

compounds. Smaller amounts of gently aromatic terpenes are also present,

including limonene and sabinene. Toasting creates nutty-flavoured pyrazines.

FOOD PARTNERS

Roast lamb Before roasting, make

slits all over the joint and insert slices

of fresh garlic.

Soup Roast a foil-wrapped garlic

head in the oven, then squeeze out the

sweet pulp and add to pumpkin or other

vegetable soups.

Prawns Add to an oily marinade for

grilled or barbecued prawns.

Raw vegetables Pound garlic with

anchovies and olive oil to make the

Provençal paste anchoïade, and serve

with crudités.

Chickpeas Add roasted or raw

cloves to the mortar or blender when

making hummus.

Bitter sprouts

When garlic cloves sprout, they

become more bitter. The plant

has begun stockpiling defensive

bitter-tasting substances, such as

phenols and sulphur compounds.

Reduce bitterness by cutting out

the green shoot before cooking.

team with other

citrusy compounds:

ginger has citral,

which shares garlic’s

lemony sweetness,

and also carries heat

lemongrass

adds citrus, a sweet,

floral aroma and

gentle pepperiness

add depth with

similar compounds:

asafoetida has a

potent range of similar

sulphur compounds

chilli’s capsaicins

give depth to garlic

heat by stimulating

the tongue’s

temperature receptors

boost piney notes

with sabinene:

black cardamom

shares sabinene and

adds a nose-filling

camphor quality and

smokiness

nutmeg, mace

bring notes of earthy

sweetness

pair toasted or fried

garlic with other

pyrazine-laden

spices:

toasted sesame

intensifies garlic’s

nutty accents

wattle brings

charred wood aromas

and hints of popcorn

ALLICIN

sulphurous |

spicy | hot

LIMONENE

citrus | herby

SABINENE

woody | orangey |

piney

PYRAZINE

COMBINATIONS

nutty | toasty |

savoury

Kitchen

creativity

Garlic amplifies and unites other flavours while having its own distinctive taste

that gives depth to many savoury dishes. Essential to many cuisines, with onions

and ginger it forms the “trinity” at the heart of much Asian cooking.

Leave for 60 seconds after

crushing or chopping, so

allicin levels rise to a peak.

Vegetable oils spread the

strongest compounds while

butter aids its gentler flavours.

Uninjured cloves do not

contain allicin. Cook whole

for mild, sweet flavours.

Avoid cooking garlic

above 180°C (350°F)

to prevent bitterness.

Green shoot

has bitter

compounds

Below 180°C

(350°F)

172-173_Garlic.indd 173 13/06/2018 16:24