Korean Aged Black Garlic
I love tasting free samples of new foods at markets. The try-before-you-buy philosophy is a great idea when applied to food. Sometimes an item looks rather bland, but turns out to be remarkably tasty. Other times a sauce that looks great tastes, well, mundane. Once in a while, the food sample is so unusual that you are compelled to try it.
Such was the case with Korean aged black garlic. I noticed the stand on my way to the checkout line at Berkeley Bowl. I was just about to walk by, assuming it was just another chip and dip. But something caught my eye. Black. This food was black. What was it? A basket of garlic heads, shiny black cloves peeking through papery peels, lay next to the table of of samples. Aha! But how on earth did they get it to turn black?
A young Korean man offered me a taste “It’s very healthy,” he said. “Try some.” I did. “Wow,” I said. Its flavor is sweet like molasses, with a slight pungency reminiscent of cheese and wine. I’d never tasted anything like it. “What do you do with it? Is there a traditional dish prepared with it?” I asked. He explained that black garlic is generally eaten as a snack, hence the handy snack-sized packaging. “How is it made?” I asked. For the answer to this question, the young man referred me to an older Korean man, who briefly explained the process in halting English. Ordinary garlic is placed in earthenware jugs in a cool environment, such as a cave. The garlic is left to age for several months. No bacteria is added. The result is a simple food with a complex flavor. Brilliant!
This fascinating food is too good to eat by itself. A clove or two can add dimensions of flavor to any dish. Black garlic-stuffed chicken, for example, would be an interesting variation on the typical dish. Mixed into a barbecue sauce, black garlic could enhance the flavor of spare ribs. Black garlic ice cream is a stretch, but an intriguing idea nonetheless, if only for its weirdness.
Searching for ways to use this ingredient, I wonder about its evolution. What is its history? How was it traditionally used? As a condiment? For what foods? Meat? Fish? Strangely, there is almost no trace of it on the web. Searching for the anglicized version of its Korean name might help, but I don’t know what it’s called.
Have you ever seen or tasted aged black garlic? Know someone who does? Feel free to leave a comment.
In the San Francisco Bay Area, Injoy imports aged black Korean garlic.
Injoy
100 Hegenberger Loop
Oakland, CA 94621
510-381-1090
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