Vinegar garlic chili is a seasoning that enhances the flavor of dishes and can be a “lifesaver” for Tet meals. Adding a few slices of garlic to a bowl of fish sauce, adding a spoonful of vinegar garlic chili to a bowl of vermicelli soup… can make the food taste better and reduce the greasiness. But many people find that garlic soaked in vinegar turns green, why, and is it harmful when it turns green?
Why does garlic turn green when soaked?
The phenomenon of garlic turning green is a chemical reaction between the components in garlic and the air. The younger the garlic, the more resin it contains, so when it reacts with the air, it undergoes an oxidation process and turns green. This green color can transfer to the soaking liquid, making it look less appealing. According to experts, green garlic is not a toxic phenomenon, but it can significantly affect the aesthetics of the dish. You can still use garlic soaked in vinegar chili, but the color may not be as beautiful as desired.
Tips for soaking garlic in vinegar chili without turning green, keeping it white and crispy, and the liquid clear
Preparing the ingredients
Choose 200g of garlic. You should choose old, firm garlic bulbs to minimize the risk of turning green. Choose traditional garlic for a more fragrant taste. Purple-skinned garlic is more fragrant than white-skinned garlic. Single-bulb garlic is tastier than multiple-branch garlic, but it is more expensive.
1 bottle of 500ml edible vinegar. Be careful to choose a good-quality vinegar and avoid industrial vinegar with a dark and unpleasant smell.
Fresh chili, you can use bird’s eye chili or bell pepper, horn pepper. Bird’s eye chili is spicy, while bell pepper and horn pepper are more aromatic.
Salt and sugar, the amount depends on personal preference.
Boil water and let it cool.
Clean and sterilize glass jars by boiling them in hot water. Avoid using plastic containers for soaking garlic in vinegar chili as they may react to the chemicals in the plastic, which is not good for your health.
Preparing the garlic to prevent it from turning green
You can apply a trick to dry garlic by putting it in the microwave for 10 seconds, which makes it easier to peel. After peeling, slice the garlic into medium slices, neither too thick nor too thin. Rinse the garlic thoroughly and then soak it in diluted saltwater or sugarwater. Soak the garlic for about 30 minutes and change the water 2-3 times to prevent the garlic from turning green when soaked in vinegar chili. Multiple soakings help reduce the characteristic pungent odor of garlic.
To disinfect the garlic, blanch it in boiling water and let it dry.
Rinse the chili peppers, remove the seeds, and slice them. The amount of chili peppers depends on your family’s taste preference. You can add chili peppers or not, depending on the taste buds of your family.
Boil the vinegar with water, add a little sugar, simmer until boiling and the sugar dissolves. After boiling, the intense odor of the vinegar will evaporate. Add more sugar to make the vinegar taste more mild and be ready to use sooner. You can choose to soak the garlic directly with 100% vinegar without adding water and sugar, but remember to use good-quality vinegar without industrial additives.
Soaking the garlic in vinegar:
First, clean and dry the glass jars. If you want to ensure good sterilization, you can boil them in hot water and let them cool. After draining the water from the garlic, put it into the glass jars with the chili peppers. Then pour in the cooled vinegar. It is best to let the soaking liquid cool completely before pouring it in to make the garlic crispy and prevent it from becoming soft, and the chili peppers from becoming mushy. Then cover the jars and store them in a cool, well-ventilated place, avoiding placing the jars near the stove, as the heat will spoil the vinegar-soaked garlic. It takes about 2-3 days to achieve a sour taste, and you can start using it, but if you want it to be more flavorful, you can soak it for a few hours. Avoid exposing the jars of vinegar-soaked garlic to heat or sunlight, as they can quickly turn sour and the garlic will lose its crispness.
Garlic is a natural antibiotic that helps prevent diseases. Eating garlic regularly can stimulate digestion and reduce inflammation. Vinegar garlic chili added to fish sauce, soups, and noodles is very appealing. When using it, remember to scoop the vinegar garlic chili with a clean spoon instead of using the chopsticks or spoon you are eating with, as it can make the sauce become cloudy.