Advertisement

Black garlic

Reading Time:2 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP

History

Scott Kim began to produce black garlic in South Korea in 2004. He did not invent the method to make it. The production process is a secret but the basics are known. Hot air is used to age the garlic for 14 1/2 days. Then it is dried naturally for about 40 hours. After that, it is aged by hot air again for between 30 to 50 hours.

Taste

Advertisement

While it looks rather strange, those who have tried it have been impressed. Black garlic does not have the extremely strong flavour of normal garlic. It has a creamy molasses flavour, and is somewhat sweet as well as savoury and tangy. The texture is like a soft, jelly-like piece of fruit.

Cost

Advertisement

The production cost of black garlic pushes the price way above that of raw garlic. The heating process and the length of time it takes to make the garlic black make it expensive. It is also exclusive. There is not much of it around so people are prepared to pay for it, especially once they have tried it.

Advertisement
Select Voice
Choose your listening speed
Get through articles 2x faster
1.25x
250 WPM
Slow
Average
Fast
1.25x