Garlic

Garlic is among the best-researched functional foods. Allicin, formed when raw garlic is crushed or chopped, has documented antimicrobial, antiviral, and antifungal activity.

Meta-analyses show regular consumption is associated with modest reductions in blood pressure (3–8 mmHg systolic) and LDL cholesterol. Research also suggests immune-supportive effects and potential cancer-preventive properties from organo-sulfur compounds.

Cooking reduces allicin content — allowing crushed garlic to sit for 10 minutes before heating preserves more bioactive compounds.

Garlic has been cultivated in China for over four thousand years and appears in early Chinese medical texts as a broad-spectrum medicinal plant. It spread from Central Asia along trade routes and became foundational to cooking across Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.

In Chinese culinary tradition, garlic is one of the three essential aromatics alongside ginger and scallion — the flavor base on which a vast proportion of Chinese dishes is built.

Specific regional preparations — the black garlic of Shandong, the pickled garlic of northern cuisine, the crispy garlic of Cantonese sauces — reflect centuries of culinary refinement.

Use minced in stir-fry sauces, marinades, and dumpling fillings. Slice thinly for Cantonese preparations. Smash with the flat of a knife for braises and master stocks.

Fry in oil until golden for crispy garlic toppings. Use raw in cold sauces, vinaigrettes, and chili preparations. Pair with ginger and scallion as the foundational aromatic base for most Chinese cooking.

Smash cloves with the flat of a cleaver to loosen the skin before peeling. Mince finely for sauces, slice for stir-fries, keep whole for braises.

For maximum medicinal benefit, crush and let sit 10 minutes before cooking.

Store at room temperature in a cool, dry place — not the refrigerator.