For Koreans, garlic is an essential food ingredient. Because it is used in a variety of ways, such as soups, stews, and stir-fries, many households purchase garlic in large quantities. However, it is not long before the garlic sprouts or the tips turn green, which often causes concern that the garlic may have gone bad. If you store garlic correctly, you can use it longer and without wasting it.
Why does garlic turn green?
Let’s start by looking at why the tips of garlic turn green. Garlic turning green is a natural phenomenon caused by the combination of oxygen and enzymes. In particular, when garlic is stored at around 4℃, the cross section of the garlic tends to turn green as enzymes are activated.
This is also the reason why green-colored iron sulfide is created when allicin in garlic and iron in cooking utensils are added. Some garlic may be ‘Hongsan’, a variety with green tips to begin with. Hongsan garlic has a high chlorophyll content, giving it a natural green color.
The color of garlic may change for various reasons, but this is simply a change in color, so eating it is not a health problem. However, if the garlic smells strange or is soft, it may have deteriorated and should be discarded.
If you want to store garlic for a long time, you can use sugar.
How to prevent garlic from discoloring? It is best to store whole garlic in a place with low humidity and good ventilation. For long-term storage, enzyme activity must be suppressed by reducing exposure to oxygen. It is effective to peel the garlic, chop it, remove as much air as possible, and store it in the freezer.
However, when garlic is stored in the freezer, the unique texture and flavor of raw garlic is lost, so many people do not prefer it. In this case, there is a way to use sugar. Sprinkle sugar on the bottom of an airtight container and place a kitchen towel on top. Sugar absorbs moisture and acts as a dehumidifier.
Sugar absorbs the moisture contained in the garlic and maintains humidity inside the airtight container. The sugar used at this time may have a garlic flavor, but can be used in meat, stew, etc. This is because only moisture has been absorbed and the sugar content has not changed.
It is known that if stored this way, the quality of garlic can be kept fresh for nearly a month. However, it is best to open the lid within two weeks to check the condition. If the kitchen towel has become damp, replace it with a new one, and if the sugar has changed color, replace it with a new one.
