Dried garlic is practically no different from fresh. It miraculously preserves all its beneficial substances and taste. Harvesting garlic for the winter makes sense, since so many dishes are prepared using this aromatic vegetable. The best way is drying in the oven, on an electric appliance or naturally.
Composition of the product
It contains a lot of vitamins, among which C, E, PP and group B deserve special attention. In addition, fragrant segments have trace elements that are extremely important for human health. Some of them are in a fairly decent amount, which makes garlic indispensable in clinical nutrition. For example, few people know that it is a valuable source of a trace element like zinc, which affects the health of the genitourinary system, rejuvenates the body and strengthens the immune system.
Due to the fact that almost all useful components remain in the garlic during drying, it is able to continue to have a beneficial effect. Due to the presence of phytoncides, garlic quickly and effectively relieves a person of many pathogenic microbes. Among which are diphtheria coli, pathogens of dysentery, staphylococci and fungi. Moreover, according to nutritionists, the greatest effect of the treatment of pathogenic microflora appears in early spring. No wonder people call this natural antibiotic and try to turn it off in many recipes of traditional medicine.
Its benefit
Dried garlic also has the ability to expand the walls of blood vessels and prevent the formation of blood clots. These qualities make it indispensable for people suffering from atherosclerosis, thrombosis and other vascular diseases.
Numerous experiments conducted on animals have proven its property in the fight against cancer. Scientists have long tried to find a cure for garlic-based antitumor diseases. To date, unambiguous results have not been obtained, although experiments are still ongoing.
In short, the beneficial effects of dry garlic can be characterized by the following facts:
- Prevents the formation of cholesterol plaques on the walls of blood vessels.
- Promotes the digestion of heavy foods, speeds up metabolism and stimulates the work of the muscles of the stomach.
- Positive effect on the potency of men. It was noted that with regular use of this vegetable for many years, a disease such as prostatitis, as a rule, bypasses a person.
- In women, it raises estrogen levels.
- It neutralizes free radicals, promotes cellular respiration and the formation of new, healthy cells.
- In ancient times, it was used as a natural antiseptic for the treatment of wounds.
The most suitable varieties are: "Starobelsky", "Ukrainian", "Rostov", "Creole" and "violet".
Calorie content of 100 g of dry garlic is 345 kilocalories. The product contains 75 g of carbohydrates, a small amount of fat, barely exceeding 0.4 g and 16 proteins. For cooking, the following dosage measures are used: in one tablespoon contains about 12 g of dry product, and in a tea - 3.
His harm
Granulated dried garlic is not recommended for use in diseases such as sinusitis, cirrhosis and impaired renal function. Too much of this product in any dish can cause pain in people with stomach ulcers and inflammation of the pancreas. In addition, the properties of dried garlic have been observed to stimulate appetite, which is why a person is gaining excess weight.
It is highly recommended not to use this vegetable in dried or fresh form when breastfeeding. It spoils the taste and smell of milk, and the child may eventually abandon it. This creates a problem for the mother, who is struggling to return the baby to breastfeeding.
It is undesirable to consume garlic with the following diseases:
- In an epileptic, it can cause an additional attack.
- Serious disturbances in the cardiovascular system are also a contraindication to the use of this vegetable.
- It is not recommended to use it for anemia.
- Women in the last trimester of pregnancy should not abuse this vegetable, as it negatively affects the health of the unborn child.
- Hepatitis, cirrhosis and other liver diseases are also a contraindication to abuse of this product.
It should be borne in mind that garlic contains biologically active components that not only treat, but can also bring a lot of unpleasant symptoms. Many of the substances found in garlic are inherently poisonous. For many years, scientists have been sounding the alarm about the effect of sulfonyl hydroxyl ions, which are part of this vegetable, on the human brain. Experiments were conducted that showed some lethargy and loss of attention after consuming this product.
How to cook
Dried garlic can be purchased at the store or cooked by yourself. The latter option, by the way, is more preferable.
How to make dried garlic at home? It is quite simple and the power of any housewife. First of all, you should choose the right variety so that the result does not disappoint. For example, varieties such as "creole" and "silver" do not lose their taste and medicinal properties even after drying.
The cloves are cleaned and cut into two parts. If they are quite large in size, then it is best to grate them, which is used to chop cabbage. Keep in mind that the smell of this vegetable is quite specific and harsh. The room in which the sliced slices will be located should be well ventilated, since after a while the essential oils will begin to affect the mucous membrane of the nose and eyes. The slices are not pre-washed, and if they are dirty, they are simply wiped with a paper towel.
Very often, the hostesses, before making dried garlic, are interested in how much the resulting spices will be. As a rule, to get 1 kg of dry product, you need 5 kg of fresh vegetables. For baking, you can use ordinary food foil. Some people still use a grater. However, this method is not entirely convenient and affects the quality of the finished product. During baking, a fairly large amount of juice is released from it.
For work, you will need an aluminum or plastic bowl, oven, foil or paper, a sharp knife, a coffee grinder, as well as a container where the finished spice will be contained.
Drying in an electric dryer
The advantage of this dried garlic recipe is that it allows you to cook it as quickly as possible. Depending on the thickness of the slices, it will take from 5 to 7 hours. Vegetables are simply laid out on the surface of the dryer and turned on at full capacity. Do the same with other vegetables: carrots, beets and so on.
Cooking without appliance
This is quite a costly and time consuming method. You will need a wide board or a baking sheet. The surface is covered with paper or natural fabric. The slices are laid out in a thin layer and placed under the sun. Drying with this method lasts about a week, and the raw materials should be regularly reviewed and turned over. In the end, this dried garlic at home is no worse.
Drying in the oven
Do not immediately turn on the heat in the oven. She should be moderate and gentle. The most acceptable number of degrees is 50. The procedure lasts for three hours. Every hour, the baking sheet is pulled out of the oven in order to flip the wedges. The readiness of the slice can be determined not only by appearance. Dry product should break in hands. It should be taken into account if flexible slices are inherently wet, which means that over time they will rot or mold. Such raw materials are not stored at all and are not used in further cooking.
Powder preparation
Ground dried garlic is very useful throughout the year. After all, far from always there is a fresh vegetable available.
How to cook dried garlic powder? To do this, you need a medium-sized vegetable, which is cut into slices and dried in the oven. Before cutting, the slices are not washed with water, but only cleaned with a paper towel. Already dried raw materials are put in a coffee grinder and twisted to a powdery state. Garlic powder is stored for two years in sealed packaging. The best option would be to keep the spice in a glass jar covered with a lid. It is very convenient to add to various dishes during cooking. Many housewives prefer to use just the powder, and not cloves of garlic.
Home-dried garlic can be added to home-made potato chips or make an excellent garlic sauce with sour cream.
Use in medicine
Due to the fact that all the necessary useful components are stored in dry garlic, it can also be used for cooking home remedies. Like a fresh product, it is used to remove warts and treat purulent wounds. It should be borne in mind that in order for the dry mixture to be suitable for use in the form of an ointment, it should be diluted with slightly warmed-up sunflower oil or ordinary water. Garlic compress with oil helps with insect bites. To do this, compresses are applied for about one or two hours or the affected area is simply lubricated.
Cooking secrets
It should be borne in mind that the thinner the slices are cut, the faster they cook. It is advisable to grind dried garlic immediately. In powder form, it is much more convenient to use. He also significantly increases the shelf life. As soon as the drying in the oven is over, the raw materials are transferred to a warm place for drying until fully cooked. To make granules out of it, the petals are simply ground through a coffee grinder.
Sometimes after cooking, the smell remains on the hands. To avoid it, use gloves or wipe your hands with vinegar and lemon juice. Do not allow liquids to enter the jar where the spice is stored. The spoon should always be dry and clean. Large slices are good to stuff pieces of beef or lamb. Therefore, experienced housewives must leave a certain number of lobules, and twist most of them.
Spice use
Few people know that dried garlic is an excellent way to get rid of pests of indoor flowers and garden plants. It is enough to pour a small amount of spice into a flower pot so that ants and aphids leave it forever. Similarly, they do on a personal plot. Dry granules can be poured directly into the anthill, and after a while repeated again. The infusion of the petals of this vegetable is sprayed with leaves of both indoor and garden flowers. This solution is a good way to get rid of fungal diseases and insect attacks.
In cosmetology, dried garlic is sometimes used to enhance hair growth. Sometimes a dried product is much more convenient to use than fresh. The powder is diluted in a small amount of water and a porridge-like state and combined with honey, rye flour and aloe juice. If you apply this mask twice a week, also after a month get a tangible result.