The garlic herb is one of the most popular herbs across the world. It not only lends flavor to several cuisines but is also packed with medicinal properties!
Common name: Allium sativum is the Latin name of garlic.
Occurrence: Garlic is prevalent all over the world. Simple to grow and hardy, garlic herbs grow up to 24 inches and are slim and tall plants. The plants originate from a cluster of garlic cloves. The papery thin casing of these cloves comes in creamy white, faint rose or gray. Garlic plants bloom into clusters of lavender-pink flowers and after the flowering season, the plants produce tiny bulbs.
Garlic herbs grow well in humus-rich and moist soil with good drainage. Place each garlic clove a few inches apart, about a couple of inches beneath the soil. You can keep the soil watered till the tops die and then stop watering until the bulbs mature. Garlic is grown all across the world.
Several cultures used garlic in some form or the other. It is believed that the Egyptians ate garlic while constructing pyramids to give them energy and strength. They also placed handfuls of garlic next to mummified bodies to see them through to the other life. In ancient Asia, garlic was used by the learned medicine men to cure hypertension and breathing problems; Roman soldiers wore garlic around their necks to give them vigor and strength; and Hippocrates, the Greek doctor used these garlic herbs to relieve pain. It even cured seas sickness and repelled vampires!
Parts used: The cloves of garlic are used for medicinal and culinary benefits.
Packed with a high concentration of sulphur, garlic is said to fight high blood pressure, soaring cholesterol, and lessening the chances of cardiac problems and strokes. It is also good for the immune system and does wonders for respiratory problems. It is believed that a raw clove or two of garlic is sure to keep several health problems at bay! Best eaten raw, you may also use lightly-cooked garlic in your food for health benefits.
Culinary Uses: Used for seasoning and to add a dash of spice, several cuisines across the world use a combination of herb & garlic to add punch to their dishes. Chopped, crushed, powdered or dried, garlic is a popular seasoning ingredient in cooking. While it has a strong flavor, while sautéing it, garlic cloves tend to become mellow and exude a delicate aroma and taste. Salads to soups, stir-fries to curry sauces, pasta to non-vegetarian platters - several dishes use garlic and herb for flavor. There are several garlic in cuisines, there's one garlic herb recipe that you must try. The garlic herb chicken, with its simple yet exotic seasoning is a favorite with many!