WILD FERMENTATIONS - FERMENTED GARLIC PASTE
We are garlic lovers. Ever since we discovered this fermented garlic paste we have hardly used raw minced garlic in our cooking.
Fermented garlic has this sweet, less sharp, caramelized flavor you get from roasted garlic. Furthermore, the fermentation process not only changes the flavor but the nutrient content too. Fermented garlic paste has enhanced bioactivity and is a rich source of probiotics, vitamins, and enzymes that support gut health, help your body to function better, strengthen the immune system, and promote better health.
FERMENTED GARLIC PASTE
Ever since we made this fermented garlic paste it has been a must-have staple in our kitchen. Its taste is so much better than using regular raw garlic and it will save you some time when preparing meals.
Next to adding an amazing flavor to your dishes, it also works as a natural medicine. It possesses potent antiviral and antibacterial properties. So if you feel a cold coming or want to boost your immune system during the flu season, consume 1 teaspoon of the fermented garlic paste one or 2 times a day.
Oh and one last thing. The sulfur-containing compounds in garlic - which are responsible for garlic breath - are mellowed during the fermentation process. So no bad garlic breath after consuming fermented garlic.
Ingredients (makes 1 big jar or 2 smaller ones)
- 18 to 20 heads of garlic, peeled
- 2-3 teaspoons of Himalayan pink salt or good quality sea salt
Directions
Peel the garlic, if you have sensitive skin, you might want to use gloves as the juice of the garlic is very potent and might give you a burning sensation after peeling so many garlic cloves.
Add the peeled garlic with the salt to a blender and blend until you have a smooth paste. Scrape down the sides while blending to make sure no big garic lumps remain. Taste and add more salt if you like.
Add the paste to a small, clean jar. Leave about 2.5 cm or 1 inch of space for the top.
Press down the paste with a tamper or spoon. Depending on the garlic and how much you blended the garlic, the natural liquid (brine) present in the garlic might come up and cover the paste when pushed down.
Make a salty brine if there is not enough liquid coming up to cover the paste. The ratio of the salty brine is ½ tablespoon of salt in ½ cup of filtered water. Mix well to dissolve all the salt.
Pour a little of the brine over the paste to just cover the paste.
Then add a fermentation weight if you have one to make sure the paste stays submerged to reduce exposure to air and prevent mold to grow on top. If you don’t have a fermentation weight you can use baking paper pushed into the jar and weighed down with marbles, a plastic ziplock bag filled with water, or this green plastic thing I used. I recycled them from jars of gherkins, olives, and slivered onions. Cut off the stick used to lift the gherkins and you will be left with a perfect device to weigh down your ferments.
Close the jar with the lid and set it on the counter out of direct sunlight for 14 to 21 days. I live in the tropics so things go a little faster here.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
Certain compounds in garlic may react with the minerals in the water or salt you use. This may result in the paste turning blue or green after just a few hours of making it. This is normal and nothing to worry about. The color will change again after a few days to a light yellow color and then light brown when ready.
Start tasting after 14 days. It is ready when the spiciness of the garlic has mellowed and the paste tastes more like roasted garlic. The color will be a light brown, caramel color.
Check the ferment every day to make sure the paste is under the brine. Press the paste back down or add more salty brine if needed.
When ready, store it in the fridge. The paste will last for up to 1 year.
WISHING YOU ALL A HAPPY AND HEALTHY DAY ღ ღ ღ
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