How to Roast Garlic (Roasted Garlic Recipe) and A Winner of My Indian Kitchen

Roasted Garlic

Yesterday I was going through all the food photos I had taken in the last 2 months. Suddenly I came across one of the simplest and quickest, and yet absolutely delicious recipe of Roasted Garlic I had made when I was all alone! Lil dumpling had recovered completely from viral infection and he was back in his day care. The bad and ugly virus which made my child suffer had happily found a new home in my body and I was left all alone at home coughing, sniffling and weak while the hubby left to work half heartedly after much persuasion from me.

Snuggled under a thick blanket, I curled up with a book by one of my favourite Indian authors. But continuous coughing and sniffling with a tissue stuck to my nose spoiled the happy mood for reading. Half heartedly I dragged the blanket along and sat in front of idiot box, flicking channels after channels of useless day time soaps and programs. And then suddenly I stumbled to Discovery’s food channel. Bad move! Really, really bad move on my part as it was getting close to lunch time and the almost dead taste buds that refused to eat even a toast in the morning started jiving at that instance! All I could think of was food, some seriously delicious food! But alas, just the Rosematta Ganji/Kanji/Congee that hubby cooked for me with simple stir fried beans were not what my taste buds wanted! They demanded more and refused to touch what otherwise is a healthy and nutritious food! My tastes buds are just like me, stubborn to the core and will not budge until they get what they believe rightfully theirs!

Roasted Garlic

Roasted Garlic

So, what could a weak, almost bedridden person can cook that will not take much time and whatever energy left in her body! The answer was just sitting inside bamboo basket right on top of my kitchen counter. GARLIC! My all time favourite garlic. I decided to make one of my most favourite condiments of all, Simple Roasted Garlic with sea salt and little pinch of red chilli flakes for little kick of heat. It took me just 2 minutes of my time and rest of the work was done my ever faithful oven! It is true that it takes good 30-40 minutes of cooking time but hell, one bite into this creamy, sweet, aromatic and delicious Roasted Garlic and you will be transformed to garlic heaven! It’s another matter that your breath will smell of garlic hell. Well, you can’t have everything! And the taste of this delicious Roasted Garlic is worth having to deal with little smelly breath! You can use just salt and olive oil or top it with any of your favourite herbs or spices! I had mine with a toast slathered with generous amount of butter. You can use it in soup, with roasted vegetables, with breads etc… The possibilities are endless!!! Common, go on and make some Roasted Garlic and enjoy the simple, earthy taste!

Roasted Garlic - Before

Roasted Garlic - After

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Roasted Garlic (Oven roasted garlic with olive oil, sea salt and chilli flakes)
Prep Time: 2 mins
Cooking Time: 30-40 mins (Depends on the size of garlic)
Spice Level: n/a
Recipe Level: Easy/Beginner
Makes: 1 head of garlic
Shelf Life: 10 days when stored in air tight jar and refrigerated
Serving Suggestion: as a spread on bread/toast or with any of your favourite soups, salad, pasta or roasted vegetables

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Ingredients:
1 large head of Garlic
1-2 tbsp extra virgin Olive Oil
¼ - ½ tsp Sea Salt (Adjust acc to taste)
¼ tsp Red Chilli Flakes or any dried herbs or spices of your choice(Adjust acc to taste)

Roasted Garlic

Roasted Garlic

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 200 deg Centigrade.

Peel off the layers of white skin on the garlic until individual heads of cloves are exposed.

With a help of a sharp knife, cut the top off the head of garlic exposing a bit of each clove of garlic.

Place the garlic in square aluminium foil, large enough to cover the whole garlic, and drizzle olive oil. Sprinkle generous pinch of salt and any herbs or spices of your liking and seal the foil covering the garlic completely.

Put it in a baking tray and and place this tray in the centre rack of the oven.

Bake it for good 30 to 40 mins, or until the garlic flakes are cooked to tender when pierced with a knife or fork.

Let the Roasted Garlic cool slightly. Separate individual flakes and lightly squeeze the individual clove of garlic using fore finger and thumb.

Use this Roasted Garlic as a spread on bread/toast or with any of your favourite soups, pasta, salad or roasted vegetables. It can be stored in an air tight container and refrigerated for up to 10 days.

Roasted Garlic

Roasted Garlic

Roasted Garlic

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Sia’s Note:

• Use any herbs or spices of your choice. The most favoured herbs are rosemary, thyme, basil etc and you can use either it in fresh or dried form. For spices, you can use generous pinch of black pepper, chilli flakes etc.
• Use this Roasted Garlic as a spread on bread/toast or with any of your favourite soups, pasta, salad or roasted vegetables.
• It can be stored in an air tight container and refrigerated for up to 10 days.

Sending this to Valli's Condiment Mela.