laba garlic
In addition to drinking warm laba congee, we can also make garlic in the twelfth month of the lunar year in China. Laba garlic (Chinese name is 腊八蒜, pinyin is La Ba Suan) is a traditional Chinese dish that is typically served during the Laba Festival, which is a holiday that celebrates the beginning of spring. This dish is made by pickling garlic in a mixture of vinegar, soy sauce, and sugar, which results in a tangy and slightly sweet flavor. The pickling process also gives the garlic a crisp texture that is pleasant to bite into.
It can be enjoyed in a variety of ways. It can be used as a condiment to add flavor to dishes such as noodles, rice, or stir-fried vegetables. It can also be eaten as a snack by itself which is a low calories food, as the tangy flavor and crunchy texture make for an addictive combination. Additionally, laba garlic is believed to have various health benefits, such as boosting the immune system and improving digestion.
Why It Is Called Laba Garlic?
According to the old man, the word “Suan” is the same as the word “calculate”, which is the day that each business has to collect the accounts on the 8th day of the twelfth lunar month (La Ba) to calculate the income and expenditure of the year. It can show the profit and loss, including foreign debts and foreign debts, and all have to be calculated on this day. That is why “La Ba Suan” is so.
Laba Festival
On the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, the debtor will send a letter to the family who owes him money, and it is time to prepare to pay back the money. There is a folk proverb in Beijing: “La ba porridge, La ba garlic, Debtor send a letter, Debtor pays back the money.” Later, some people who owe money to others use garlic instead of the word “calculate” to show that it is taboo to avoid the word “calculate” in this account. but in fact, what they owe to others must be paid back after all.
In old Beijing, on New Year’s Eve, there were spicy dishes sold in the streets and hutongs, but no garlic was sold. Why is that? Think about it, you have to shout to sell Chinese garlic, how do shout to your customer? How do you yell? (La Ba count to come) debtors hear the shouting heart thud, how there are shouting on the street to collect debts ah! Besides, you are a small business with whom to calculate which! People do not count on you is good, so La Ba garlic can not be yelled down the street, are a family of their own hands to pick up La Ba garlic, they first calculate for themselves, how to spend this year.
Is Pickled Green Garlic Good For You？
This is mainly made by soaking or pickling garlic and vinegar, which has a certain nutritional value and is good for the body in moderate amounts to supplement nutrition and stimulate appetite. However, excessive consumption should be avoided to avoid adverse effects on the body.
Chinese green garlic contains allicin, sulfide, carbohydrates, calcium, potassium, magnesium, vitamins, and other nutrients needed by the human body, so it is good for the body to consume it in moderation. Garlic contains healthy ingredients such as allicin and sulfide and is less spicy and sour after pickling, so moderate consumption can stimulate the appetite to a certain extent.
chinese laba garlic
Although it is good for the body to eat garlic in moderation, it is highly stimulating and can stimulate gastric acid secretion. People with gastrointestinal discomfort such as diarrhea and bloating should reduce consumption to avoid aggravating the stimulation of the intestinal mucosa and aggravating the condition.
How Does Laba Garlic Taste?
It has a bright green color and a sour, slightly spicy taste that hits the taste buds. It does not have the pungent taste of garlic but retains the unique flavor of garlic. It is perfect for those who love garlic flavor and are afraid of spicy.
How To Eat It With?
Laba garlic can be eaten directly. After taking it out of the jar, it can be used directly to serve rice, which is tasty and tempting, and can increase appetite. It is also the best condiment for dumplings and noodles and can be used in cold dishes for a unique taste.
Laba garlic with potato
It is a healthy ingredient for Chinese New Year dishes, whether it is stir-fried with potato, mushrooms, roots, fatty sausage, beef, pork, or bacon, it adds a touch of green to the dish. It also makes full use of the sweet and sour taste of garlic, which makes it taste like a special flavor.
Where To Buy Chinese Green Garlic?
If you don’t want to make it yourself with our recipe. You can buy it from amazon or you local market, like walmart etc.
Why Is Laba Garlic Green?
Traditionally, the green pigment of this garlic is what people want. This green pigment of garlic is a natural anthocyanin pigment, which is not very stable and gradually turns yellow and lighter during the 25 days of curing.
Garlic cells contain more sulfur-containing bioactive substances, and these sulfur-containing substances, under the action of garlic enzymes, can produce thiosulfate, aryl thiosulfate, allyl thiosulfate and other precursors of garlic pigments. These substances undergo a series of reactions to produce garlic pigments.
Laba Garlic Turn Green
The green pigment of garlic is composed of a first-formed blue pigment and a later-formed yellow pigment. The blue pigment is initially formed in garlic, but the blue pigment is unstable and gradually turns into yellow pigment, and the two coexist to make the garlic green. Finally, the blue pigment is converted into yellow pigment.
A low temperature is necessary to break the dormancy of garlic and activate garlic enzymes to make garlic green. Garlic enzyme plays a catalytic role in making garlic green. The vinegar used to make garlic can increase the permeability of the cell membrane and make garlic green without destroying the cell wall.
Then, a mixture of vinegar and soy sauce is brought to a boil with sugar and various spices such as cinnamon, star anise, and Sichuan peppercorns. The garlic cloves are added to the mixture and allowed to soak for several hours or overnight. The longer the garlic is allowed to soak, the stronger the flavor and aroma will be.
How To Make Laba Garlic
Step1
To make laba garlic, the first step is to clean and peel the garlic cloves. We use 500 grams of garlic to make it and recommend you use fresh garlic to make it. Selecting garlic with large, full grains and no bumps is good for making better laba garlic. Peel the roots off with a knife, then remove the overgrown parts and wash and dry the garlic.
500 grams of garlic
Step2
Pour 50 grams of rice vinegar (preferably marinated on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month). The amount of rice vinegar is about the same as the garlic clove. Make sure the rice vinegar can immerse all of the garlic. If you use the big bottle or add more garlic, you should add more rice vinegar.
Add a small spoonful of sugar (can be added or not, add the taste more delicious). If you want a sweet taste, you can add some sugar.
Pour 50 grams of rice vinegar
Step3
Cover with an airtight lid. Place in the refrigerator or a colder part of the house. All garlic will turn green and taste better when soaked for more than two weeks. If you want the garlic to turn green quickly, you can increase the temperature difference, and sunlight during the day and refrigerate it at night. It will be green in about 3-4 days.
But to be tasty it is recommended to soak for more than two weeks so that it can be better tasted. The garlic will still be spicy in a short time immersing.
Bottled, sealed and marinated for more than three weeks before serving
In Chinese culture, laba garlic is believed to have originated during the Tang Dynasty, over a thousand years ago. Today, laba garlic remains a popular dish and is a staple during the Laba Festival.
Overall, laba garlic is a delicious and healthy dish that is easy to make and versatile in its uses. Its unique flavor and texture make it a treat for the taste buds, and its history and cultural significance make it a dish worth exploring. Hope you can enjoy it, If you have any problem, please let me know.
Laba Garlic
Equipment(affiliate link)
- jar
Instructions
- To make laba garlic, the first step is to clean and peel the garlic cloves. We use 500 grams of garlic to make it and recommend you use fresh garlic to make it. Selecting garlic with large, full grains and no bumps is good for making better laba garlic. Peel the roots off with a knife, then remove the overgrown parts and wash and dry the garlic.
- Pour 50 grams of rice vinegar (preferably marinated on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month). The amount of rice vinegar is about the same as the garlic clove. Make sure the rice vinegar can immerse all of the garlic. If you use the big bottle or add more garlic, you should add more rice vinegar.Add a small spoonful of sugar (can be added or not, add the taste more delicious). If you want a sweet taste, you can add some sugar.
- Cover with an airtight lid. Place in the refrigerator or a colder part of the house. All garlic will turn green and taste better when soaked for more than two weeks. If you want the garlic to turn green quickly, you can increase the temperature difference, and sunlight during the day and refrigerate it at night. It will be green in about 3-4 days.But to be tasty it is recommended to soak for more than two weeks so that it can be better tasted. The garlic will still be spicy in a short time immersing.
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