Mamta's Kitchen - A Family Cookbook





cooking without garlic

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On 12/07/2009 10:07am, kerry wrote:

i like eatin garlic but my husband cant stand it and i was wondering if it is ok to leave garlic out of recipes please? will all recipes work without garlic in? can i still use ginger if im not using garlic?

thanks

On 12/07/2009 11:07am, AskCy wrote:

Kerry short "no" lol

let me elaborate a little...

Garlic is a quite a destinctive flavour and smell that is hard to replicate. Some recipes may use "Asafoetida" that gives a little garlicy flavour but if your other half doesn't like garlic I'd guess he won't like that either !

Garlic is a little like onion but using more onion won't give the same flavour but you could do something on that line if you still want to make a dish and have to leave the garlic.

As for ginger replacing it, well ginger and garlic are often both used in recipes and are not a similar flavour at all.

If you can't use garlic then maybe roasting some slices of onion until they have taken on plenty of brown in colour, tranfer them to a pan with a little oil and cook them right down until you have a thick dark almost paste... this might give the recipe enough extra flavour to cover the missing garlic...

(personally I'd just use a little garlic and not tell anyone... lol)

Steve

On 12/07/2009 11:07am, Mamta wrote:

Hello Kerry

Steve has already written a comprehensive reply to you. I will just add that cooking without garlic is absolutely fine. A vast number of Indian vegetarians do not eat garlic at all and cook extremely well without it. At big feasts and parties, it is usually left out, because half the guests may not eat it. Ginger and onion are enough.

You know, a large number of vegetarian Indians do not eat onions either, my MIL was one of them. You can cook excellent Indian food without either, especially vegetarian food.

Mamta

On 12/07/2009 12:07pm, Rajneesh wrote:

I really pity those who do not consume garlic due to religious or other reasons, apart from the unique flavour it is good for health. Though eating raw makes your mouth smell.

On 12/07/2009 09:07pm, Mamta wrote:

There is no need for pity Rajneesh, they make and enjoy their excellent meals without garlic.

Most of my family in India do not eat garlic in their everyday meal. My mum never eats it and my sister will eat it under protest. That is the norm in an Indian vegetarian family. There diet is meat/poultry free, low on ghee and generally pretty healthy. It is to do with 'Satvic' and Tamish' foods and garlic comes under tamish, along with non-vegetarian foods :-). It is not really due to religion.

Mamta

On 12/07/2009 09:07pm, AskCy wrote:

I know in English cuisine garlic can be seen as pungent and overpowering smell/taste but what religious reasons are behind not eating it ? Personally I can eat it in almost any dish (with the exception of branflakes).. in fact these days I find the dish lacking if it doesn't have a clove or two in !

Steve

On 12/07/2009 10:07pm, Mamta wrote:

As you said it Steve, garlic is very pungent. Those who don't eat it, can't stand the smell. As I remember, most English people did not eat it not all that long ago.

I love garlic now in any form, but there was a time in my youth when I did not particularly like it, though I ate it. I only got used to it after I left home. All I am saying is that it is a personal taste and choice, like so many other things :-)!

mamta

On 12/07/2009 10:07pm, Lapis wrote:

don't forget that in India certain sects don't eat garlic, like the Jains and Pandits. As a substitute, many use hing (asaphoetida), but sulphur containing things are really necessary to help develop strong meat flavours by reacting with compounds in meat. Another good reason why onions/garlic should be fried with the meat.

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