Garlic oil (Suān Tóu Yóu) is an essential ingredient in Teochew cuisine. Golden, crispy deep-fried garlic is widely used in soups, summer desserts, steamed vegetables, or poached seafood to highlight a dish.
You can make your own golden-brown, crispy garlic oil at home in 10 minutes. And I have discovered so many other unique but common ways of using it. The best part of this oil is not the flavor, but also the texture. It can add a subtle crunch to both the texture and flavor.
My favorite way to use garlic oil is with leafy green rice. In Chinese, we call this type of serving “菜饭,” which means we serve rice with leafy green vegetables. The infused oil coats every grain of rice, while the crispy garlic bits provide a nutty crunch that contrasts with tender, fresh greens. So each bite is comforting.
Step by Step
The process is extremely easy: chop the garlic, wash it, then fry it with oil. However, we need to pay attention to the firepower throughout the process and when to stop heating.
I use purple single-clove garlic since it has a sharper garlic flavor. You can use regular ones too. After peeling, pulse in short bursts to achieve a coarse texture.
Another tip is to rinse the garlic under running water to remove the sticky, starch-like sap released from broken cells. That sticky residue causes the garlic to clump together and burn easily in hot oil. That’s when your garlic oil turns bitter.
In a pot, add oil and place the garlic in before starting the fire. Then simmer over medium fire. Initially, as the remaining moisture evaporates, the oil will turn cloudy and sizzle steam. Keep stirring during this process to avoid them sticking together.
As heating continues, the oil clears back and large bubbles form. Slow the fire to low and watch carefully; once the garlic starts turning a pale light yellow, remove it from the heat immediately.
Next, pass everything to time. As the time goes on, the oil calms down, and the garlic becomes perfectly crispy.
How to store: Once completely cooled, transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- 2 cups garlic cloves
- 1.5 cup oil to cover the garlic
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After peeling, pulse in short bursts to achieve a coarse texture.
-
rinse the garlic under running water to remove the sticky, starch-like sap released from broken cells
-
In a pot, add oil and place the garlic in before starting the fire. Then simmer over medium fire. Initially, as the remaining moisture evaporates, the oil will turn cloudy and sizzle steam. Keep stirring during this process to avoid them sticking together.
-
As heating continues, the oil clears back and large bubbles form. Slow the fire to low and watch carefully; once the garlic starts turning a pale light yellow, remove it from the heat immediately.
-
As the time goes on, the oil calms down, and the garlic becomes perfectly crispy. Transfer to air-tighter container for storage.